BY BILL GUSTIN
Success in conventional forcible entry depends on the strength of firefighters and their knowledge and skill in forcible entry techniques. Success also depends on using the right tools for the job: a sledgehammer, a halligan-type tool, and a flathead ax. The need for all three tools is explained in “Tips for Improving Effectiveness in Forcible Entry” (April 2008). Experienced firefighters can recognize a door that can be forced by conventional techniques and those that call for power tools or “through-the-lock” methods. Firefighters experienced in forcible entry also know when they are fighting a losing battle with tools and techniques that are not working and know when to stop and try something else. In this article, I will focus on forcing doors by conventional techniques—that is, the use of hand tools to pry and strike.
You can identify inward-swinging doors (doors that open away from firefighters performing forcible entry) by the absence of hinges. Some training materials state that an inward-swinging door can also be identified by its being recessed three or four inches into a wall. This indicator, however, is not reliable, because both inward- and outward-swinging doors can be recessed in a masonry wall. This can be seen in the photos of forcing an outward-swinging door in this article; the door is recessed three to four inches in a concrete block wall.
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