Gresham Fire and Emergency Services photographer Greg Muhr

Gresham, Oregon November 29th 2012

Window bars can be a first arriving problem in any
community. Truck company or not, is there a plan?

Gresham Fire and Emergency Services

photographer Greg Muhr
July 21, 2007, Captain
Matthew Burton and
Engineer Scott Desmond
were performing primary
search of a single family
dwelling in San Pablo,
California. During their
search, they were trapped
by rapidly deteriorating
conditions and died as a
result of thermal injuries
and smoke inhalation. Two
civilian occupants also
perished in the fire.
 Common anchoring and
attachment types

Expandable
anchors

Wedge Lag screw

anchors

Sleeved anchor
Attachment points are
nails or lags into wood
framing or siding

Use Halligan forks to

grab and pry on or
behind attachment
point
Attachment points are
sleeve anchors set in
masonry joints.

Hit nail directly with

striking tool to fail
mortar around anchor
and pry conventionally
Attachment points are nails
into expandable anchor set
in brick.

Hit nail directly with striking

tool to fail around anchor
and pry behind the
attachment point with forks
or adze conventionally
Initiate prying bars or
covering away from the
building on one side or
the bottom with the
Halligan.

Change to the steel hook

for more length and
leverage
Attachment is inside
window opening to
masonry with screws into
an expandable anchor.

Attack attachment frame

with adze of halligan or
hook & halligan married
If unsuccessful, fail end of row brick
with pick of halligan and striking tool
then pry.
Wedge anchor set into
mortar joint. Bar held on
by ½” nut and washer.

Attack wedge anchor

with striking tool. Then
pry behind with forks or
adze of halligan.

Note previous anchors.

Attachment point is recessed
lag screw with a tack weld to
bar.

Attack tack weld. Place adze on

bar at the attachment and
strike to fail weld. Strike lag
and attempt conventional pry

Hollow bar alternative

Hollow bar alternative-

Attachment point attack proves

difficult cut hollow bar with bolt
cutters
Photo from Eric Guida and www.Firenuggets.com
Wedge anchor in mortar
joint. Bar held on by nuts
and washer then bar is
folded over to prevent
wrench access.

Strike down with flat head

axe or sledge to fail mortar
and pry conventionally with
halligan and or steel hook
Attachment is a weld to the window
frame.

Strike downward and horizontally to

fail the weld at the frame. Pry by hand
or with hook due to lack or surface area
for halligan.
 Gresham Oregon Fire Department
 Contra Costa County CA Fire Department
 Brotherhood Instructors – Josh Materi
 Chief Mike Alder – San Bernardino City Fire
 Gabe Angemi – Camden NJ Fire Department
 FireNuggets.com – Eric Guida
 Vent Enter Search
 Irons and Ladders
 Fire Service Warrior – Jason Jefferies
 West Colfax Avenue, Lakewood Colorado