Introduction

Just as in any other situation, there is no tool more important in an emergency than your own mind. Unfortunately, you can't knock down a brick wall or cut through a roof with telekinesis... Yet. Until those days arrive, firefighters will have hundreds of tools on a single truck just to be sure that any job will have the proper tool on hand. Of course, having the proper tool will be of little use if it doesn't function properly. 99% of the work firefighters do is preventative and preparatory, and that mantra will be true with using tools and maintaining them as well.

To make them last, every tool (be it powered by hand or by electricity) needs to be used properly, cleaned constantly, maintained at all times, and inspected regularly. This article will cover how to go about that, as well as introduce you to the most commonly used tools in the industry. And believe me, some of them are just plain cool.