For firefighters to be effective on the fireground, we must rely on the tools of our trade. These tricks are just some of the many examples of how today’s firefighters are always pushing ahead to make things better. Before using any of these suggestions, make sure they are approved by your department’s administration. Run them by your officer; discuss them around the kitchen table. Remember that modifying tools or using them for a purpose for which they were not designed can void the warranty and may expose you to injury.
When operating above the second or third floor in a fire, getting air up to the forward staging area can be exhausting. Grabbing the air bottles with your hands precludes your carrying a tool or a hose pack, and your hands will become fatigued in a short time and you will have to put down the bottles. A 10-foot-long piece of rope or one-inch webbing can make the job easier by distributing the weight of the bottles across your back and shoulders and keeping your hands free for balancing while going up the stairs and for carrying other equipment.
Place the rope or webbing, tied together with a water knot, around your neck (photos 1, 2). Form two loops, one on each end, by flipping the ends back onto the rope/webbing and pulling the main part through the loop. You will have a loop on each end that will fit around the neck of the air bottles. When you arrive at your destination, loosen the loops and remove the air bottles. The rope or webbing can be used for other purposes.
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