McKinney Texas "Tool Time" Event

[rmoore]

Tuesday, December 9, 2003 has been selected as the day that the all major hydraulic rescue tool manufacturers and the McKinney (TX) Fire Department will host a full day of tool demonstrations and equipment comparison testing. The Collin County Community College Fire Academy, located in McKinney, TX, has agreed to be the host location.

On the 9th, the morning session (09:00am - 12:00 noon) will be set aside for scheduled vendor demonstration periods and hands-on training sessions. Vendors will have a flat, open area and an acquired vehicle for demonstrating tool capabilities. Observers present, such as my Power Rescue Tool Committee, will move from work area to work area, watching and listening to you and your presentation. If you bring gear, you'll be able to use the tools yourself under the direct supervision of the factory reps there. What a great way to see and feel for yourself.

Beginning after lunch, I'll supervise the actual tool comparison testing and evaluation session. I'll have various metals there to see whose cutters can cut through the tough stuff. I'll have something big and heavy there to see whose spreader can lift the most. I'll design other tests and evaluation stations to evaluate tools such as the rams, pedal cutters, and even pulling capabilities of spreaders and rams.

There will be NO fees charged to attend. You must cover you own expenses. McKinney and the College's Fire Academy is about 25 miles north of the city of Dallas and is located on Highway 380(University Drive), one mile west of Highway 75. You'll be given an official "Score Card" that day so you can evaluate all the tools provided and make your own decisions on what you want to buy or upgrade to in your department.

If you can't make it in person, I will be documenting all aspects of this event and will publish several articles with the results of the evaluations in my monthly University of Extrication column in Firehouse Magazine. The firehouse.com website will publicize the event prior to December 9th and will post several stories about this "Tool Time" event online.

If you are interested in being present, let me know by direct email. Once I know you are interested, I'll start a regular dialogue with you, providing further details about this event.

Ron Moore, Batt Chief/Training Officer
McKinney(TX) Fire Department
214-578-3405
[email protected]

[Rescue101]

Excellent!Further than I have time to travel right now,but another excellent database we can draw from.Been a lot of nice changes in tools of late,I suspect we'll see some innovation here too.T.C.

[rmoore]

Update on the McKinney TX Fire Department's "Tool Time 2003" event scheduled for Tuesday, December 9th- - -

Confirmed manufacturer's attendance from;
Amkus
Genesis
Holmatro
Hurst
Lancier
Phoenix
TNT

Still waiting to hear from;
Res-Q Tek, and
Champion

Now I'm trying to figure out what 'Challenges' to put the manufacturer's tools through. Here's what I've got so far. Any suggestions you'd like to see, please let me know????

Cutting Challenge:
Cut through materials as specified in the NFPA 1936 Hydraulic Rescue Tool standard; round bar stock(rebar),tubular steel, flat sheet steel, plus real-world things like the A-pillar of a school bus, and through the courtesy of the local GM assembly plant, roof pillars, firewall, door collision beams, even the frame and body of a brand new 2004 Chevy Tahoe.

I'll have a variety of cutting tests for each cutter entered into the challenge. First time they'll be able to get the material deep into the notch of the cutter, no restrictions. The second time they have to cut the same material, they'll only be allowed to use the blades of their cutters; no deep notch cutting. I want to see what difference the position of the material in the cutter makes.

Pulling Challenge( Ram and Spreader):
Hook ram or power spreader with your chains and chain pulling kit to the stationary object. Hook other end of ram or other arm of spreader to moveable object. Attempt to pull the two objects closer together. The stationary object will be something like the tow hitch of a big bulldozer. The moveable object will be some heavy object that weighs several tons(US)and must be pulled along the ground.

Pushing Challenge (Ram):
Place your ram between the designated stationary object and the moveable object and move the tow further apart. Stationary object will be the blade of that bulldozer. The moveable object, I'll have to figure this thing out. I'm thinking about a giant chunk of concrete or another machine such as a backhoe sitting in gear.

Spreading Challenge (Spreader)
Chuck Sheaffer of Amkus said he had seen this test done once. The FD welded tubular, box-steel pipe into a frame looking something like jail bars and the vendors had to put their spreaders in between the bars and bend or pry them apart. If I get some heavy steel box tubing and keep their lengths short, this might be a good spreading test.

I'm trying to simulate real-world tasks that power rescue tools might have to do at an extreme rescue. Any suggestions for me??

[rescuemaster]

Ron,

I would suggest having accurate test gauges present and have each vendor show you what pressure their pump is generating. I have heard that some companies increase their pump pressures at certain demos to get more cutting/spreading out of their tools. Just a thought. Good Luck and what a great idea !!!