How to Kick Axe Properly

For firefighters, the axe may very well be the most used handtool at its disposal. It can be a very versatile tool for firefighters in that there are very few instances where an axe would not be useful.

Axes can be used not only to create ventilation in a roof or to pick a lock or help knock down a door for a forcible entry. However, sometimes these tools, even if handled all the time, can be mishandled on the fireline, and firefighters often need training and reminders of the best way to handle an axe that is safest for everyone.

Axes come in both a flat-head and a pick style. In general, most firefighters work with a flat-head axe, though hotshot crews end to favor the pick axe for creating firebreaks when battling wildfires. Axes come in 6- and 8-pound weights, and plastic handles have been replacing wood due to added resilience and ease of maintenance.

There are efficient ways to handle an axe when on the fire line, and for some firefighters these techniques may take some practice and training to get muscle memory trained.

The first technique has to do with using the axe with a Halligan bar to force open a door. The safest way to use the axe is to hold it with one hand under under the axe head and the other down at the base of the handle and use short, controlled swings instead of "baseball" swings that come from having the hands together a the base of the handle - this is less controlled, efficient and accurate.

Another big use for axes is of course for ventilation in a roof - which usually requires either a smashing or cutting approach, depending on the roofing material. Most shingled roofs can be accessed with a smashing effect, which involves short downward thrusts using the top of the axe to break through the shingles with brute force. But if you are working with a flat roof which generally is covered by layers of tar, a more accurate cutting effect is needed. This involves bringing the axe over your head, with the front hand just under the head and the back hand at the base. As the axe swing forward and down, the front hand slides down the handle until it meets the back hand at the base, then returns to its previous position on the next swing up and back.

Again, a big part of having proper technique is to do some actual training and practice around the firehouse between calls, but getting in this practice and training can help enhance safety, efficiency, accuracy and effectiveness of the firefighters on the fire line.