Transcript Breaking and Breaching Tools Used • Sledge hammers – Long and short handled • Chisels • Pinch point pry bar – “Crow bar” • Hacksaw • Handsaw • Bolt.

Breaking and Breaching
Tools Used
• Sledge hammers
– Long and short
handled
• Chisels
• Pinch point pry bar
– “Crow bar”
• Hacksaw
• Handsaw
• Bolt cutter
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Flat head axe
Pick head axe
Chainsaw
Shovels
– Flat and square point
• Framing hammers
• Hydraulic jack –
minimum of 5 tons
• Steel pickets
Tools Used but NOT in
Light Operational Level Cache
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Air chisels
Electric chain saws
Skill saws
Reciprocating saws
Electric drills
Hydraulic spreaders
Tin snips, linoleum or razor knife
Light Frame Structure Design
• Foundation
– Concrete slab – flush
– Cripple wall – raised
• May not be secured if build prior to 1960
• Floors
– Joists support floor assembly
• Spaced every 12 or 16 inches
• Covered with wood, tile, carpet, linoleum or
lightweight concrete
Light Frame Structure Design
• Walls
– Wood or metal studs that provide support to upper
floors or roof assembly
– Covered with stucco. Lath and plaster, sheetrock, wood
paneling
• Roof
– Joist support to perimeter frame and roof covering
materials
• Spaced every 26 or 24 inches
– Roof covering materials
• Wood or asphalt shingles
• Clay tile, slate, metal
Light Frame
Construction Materials
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Wood timber
Plywood
Light gauge aluminum
Light gauge steel
Wood lath and plaster
Drywall, sheet rock or
gypsum
• Stucco on wire lath
• Un-reinforced
masonry
• Reinforced masonry
• Light weight concrete
Breaking and Breaching Safety
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Proper PPE
Ensure proper use and limits of tools
Use the right tool for the job
Use and store fuels safety
Maintain good ventilation
Be aware of surroundings
– Trip hazards
– Location of others and victims
– Maintain firm control of tools
Breaking and Breaching Operations
• Evaluate area before breaching
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Collapse potentials
Materials to be cut
Clear of main support members, pipe, wires
Victim location
• Consider alternate entry possibilities
– Windows, skylights, existing openings from
collapse
Breaking and Breaching Operations
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Remove finish materials from surfaces to be cut
Avoid cutting electrical wires and plumbing
Do not breach blindly – use inspection holes
Install shoring systems if needed
Remove smaller debris items first then larger
pieces
• Careful with cutting through some household
items
• Possible tool use in confined spaces
• Caution operating tools in awkward positions
Breaking and Breaching Operations
• Acceptable to breach through walls and
floors of light frame construction
– Interior and exterior components work together
to support breaches
– Minimize vibrations by breaching near studs
and joists
– Can remove 1 main support in breach
– Use caution with removal of 2 adjacent main
supports
Breaking and Breaching Operations
• Breaking masonry and light weight concrete
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Use existing fractures and cracks
Break at cement joints on brick veneers
Break through cell areas with cinder block
Enlarge breached holes by breaking material
away from the edges of the hole
• Breaching operations are very time
consuming, labor intensive and frustrating
Shape and Size
of Breached Openings
• Should allow adequate size for rescuer and victims
on stretcher to access
• Types of Cuts
– Square
– Triangle
– Circle
• Surfaces
– Heavy wall
– Heavy floor
– Precast concrete
Shape and Size
of Breached Openings
• Square Opening – 24” x24” min.
– Requires 4 cuts
– Not recommended for masonry walls due to the top of
the opening becoming weakened by the cut
• Triangle – 36” x36” x36” min.
– Requires 3 cuts
– Recommended for masonry walls
• Circle – 24” diameter min.
– Break with sledge hammer from the center outward
– OK for masonry walls due to the top of the circle
maintaining the arch effect
Breaking and Breaching
Operations - General Categories
• Heavy Wall
– Unreinforced masonry
• Avoid breaching operations in walls
• breach floors or ceiling
• Use existing openings or cracks
– Reinforced masonry
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OK to breach walls
May have steel rebar in place
Basic and light cache tools almost useless
Enlarge existing openings or cracks
Breaking and Breaching
Operations – General Categories
• Heavy floor and Precast Concrete
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OK to breach through floors
Concrete may be 5 to 8 inches thick with rebar
Basic and light cache tools almost useless
Enlarge existing openings or cracks
Precast concrete – may have post or pre-tension cables
• Caution cutting tensioned cables
– Cable movement
– Further structure collapse