Wildland Firefighting Equipment

Handtools
Axe: This is a standard wood axe, single and double bit versions are
both common. It is used for chopping tasks, cutting trees, downed
logs and brush being very common duties. It is not well suited for
cutting brush as it tends to bounce back or slip off the brush
creating a safety hazard, the Brush hook is much better suited for
this task since the blade design tends to "catch" the brush better.
With the introduction of light weight chainsaws the axe saw a great
decline in use, but it has remained common in the U.S. for use in
designated wilderness areas (which don't allow power equipment).
Price: $50 Wt: 2kg Range: L Hit Mod:-2 Damage Value:
1d6+STR
Brush hook: The brush hook looks like something that belongs in a
slasher movie. It has a long cleaver like blade which curves forward
at the top, the blade is mounted at the end of an axe handle. It has
been banned in much of the U.S. for safety reasons but is still
commonly found in fire caches and fire departments (firefighters
hate to throw anything away). It is a very effective chopping tool for
smaller tree limbs and brush (as the name would suggest) and is
much more suited for this task than an axe. While it could
eventually cut down a tree it really wasn't designed for that purpose
and it would be a miserable chore (and would very possibly result in
a broken tool).
Price: $50 Wt: 2kg Range: L Hit Mod:-2 Damage Value:
1d6+STR
Combination tool: The Combi-tool as it is more commonly known
is the Jack of all trades of fire tools. It is basically an enlarged
version of the military entrenching tool. It has a long handle
(approximately 1.5 meters or 5 feet) and a small shovel head which
can be folded out straight with the handle to be used as a shovel or
it may be folded at 90 degrees to the handle for use as a hoe or
scraping tool. The back side has a pick like point, this also may be
folded inline with the handle or at a 90 degree angle. It is often
referred to as the crew boss or officers tool as its length is just about
perfect for leaning on while watching others work.
Price: $50 Wt: 1.5kg
Council rake: The council rake is common in the Southern and
Eastern United States, it resembles a garden rake that has had its
tines replaced with metal shark teeth. It is a scraping tool used to
cut through thick layers of leaf or needle litter while making fire line.
The sharp teeth also make it useful for cutting vines.
Price: $50 Wt: 1.5kg

Cross cut saw: The cross cut saw is commonly referred to as the
misery whip, it is a muscle powered logging saw. Smaller saws have
a single handle and are designed for one operator, these have a
blade about 1.5m (5 feet) long, the larger designs have a handle on
each end and are intended for use with two sawyers, these
generally have a blade 1.8-3m (6-10 feet) long. The crosscut saw
can be bowed in half for carrying. These saws remain in use
primarily with Smoke Jumpers and for use in wilderness areas. It is
much more difficult to operate the two person saw than most people
would assume, it takes close coordination between the two sawyers
to effectively operate these saws.
Price: $150-200 Wt: 2-3kg
Drip Torch: This is a tool used to ignite fires, often for firing
operations during fire suppression or controlled burning for resource
management. The drip torch is a cylindrical cannister which holds 6
liters (1.5 gallons) of a flammable mixture (usually gasoline and
diesel fuel). The fuel mixture is dispensed through a spout
approximately 0.3 meters (1 foot) long, an enclosed wick ignites the
mixture as it leaves the spout.
Price: $100 Wt: 5kg
Forestry shovel: This is a short handled shovel about 1.2 m (4
feet) long. The shovel is the workhorse of the wildfire inventory, it is
used to scrape light fuels from the dirt when building fire line, may
be used to throw dirt cooling or smothering flames and the edges
are sharpend allowing it to chop down saplings and cut branches
from brush or trees.
Price: $50 Wt: 1.5kg Range: L Hit Mod:-2 Damage Value:
1d6+STR/2
Fusie: Very similar to the common road flare, fusies have a burn
duration of 10 minutes and are about 0.3 meters (1 foot) long, they
can be linked together increasing the burn duration and reach. The
longest practical fusie "staff" would be 5 or 6 fusies long. Fusies are
used for the same ignition tasks as drip torches but are more
portable, most firefighters carry 2-4 fusies with their gear.
Price: $1 Wt: 0.2kg
McLeod: This is combination of a rake with long tines on one side
and a cutting / scraping edge on the other. It is most successful in
grasses and timber litter. Generally the rake side is used to pull
loose material aside, the cutting edge is then used to scrape the
ground to mineral soil while building fireline.
Price: $75 Wt: 2kg Range: L Hit Mod:-2 Damage Value:
1d6+STR/2
Pulaski: Named for its inventor Edward Pulaski, one of the early
pioneers of organized wildfire suppression in the U.S. The Pulaski is

a combination axe and hoe. The axe is used to perform standard

cutting chores and the grubbing or hoe side is used to dig up roots,
scrape light fuels down to mineral soil and loosen dirt for other
tools.
Price: $50 Wt: 2.5kg Range: L Hit Mod:-2 Damage Value:
1d6+STR
Swatter: This resembles a thick rubber mud flap on the end of a
1.8m (6 foot) handle. It is used to beat out flames in light fuels like
grasses where it is suprisingly effective when properly used. It is
commonly found in the South West and Alaska. Variations of the
swatter are common world wide and range from a flap of wet canvas
or a truck inner tube on the end of a pole to the most simple
method of using a freshly cut tree limb (which often works just as
well).
Price: $50 Wt: 3kg

Power tools
Chainsaw: The gas powered chainsaw has become one of the most
useful cutting tools, largely replacing the axe, brush hook and hand
saw. When equipped with the more common straight bar it can
make quick work of falling trees and cutting up logs, it can be used
on brush as well but for that task the bow bar is preferred. The bow
bar is a large oval shaped hoop which the chain runs around, it has
a hook on the top and bottom which is used to catch brush allowing
the chain to cut it. Chainsaws come in a variety of sizes, most of
those used are medium sized industrial models with bars from 0.450.6m (18-24"), areas with large trees tend to use larger saws with
bars from 0.75-1.2m (30-48").
Price: $400-800 Wt: 6.8-11.4 kg Range: L Hit Mod:-2 Damage
Value: 3d6
Fuel Cap: 1-1.5 liters Fuel Cons: 2-3 liters per period
Floato-pump: This is a portable pump which is placed in a water
source where it floats on the surface and pumps water to hoses, it
only needs water about 0.18m (8") deep to operate. It is often used
when there is no road access for a fire engine.
Price: $1000 Wt: 11kg Pump flow: 114 liters / min (30 gallons per
minute) Fuel Cap: 4 liters Fuel Cons: 3 liters per period
Fusie dispenser: This is an ignition device mounted in a helicopter,
it uses short fusies (about 3 minute duration) which are ignited as
they are dropped from the dispenser at a set rate.
Price: $2500 Wt: 10kg Magazine: 40 fusies

Fusie launcher: This device is made to launch fusies during firing

operations. It is generally powered by compressed air and has a
range of approximately 100 meters. Often these are "home built"
using a section of pipe, an air line and an air compressor.
Price: $100 Wt: 2kg Range: 15
Heli-Torch: This is another aerial ignition device. It consists of a 55
gallon drum of a flammable mixture (usually gasoline and diesel
fuel) slung beneath a helicopter. It has a spout with an ignition
source at the end remotely operated by the pilot. The helicopter
flies over the desired ignition site and burning fuel is dumped over
the area, the fuel can be split into several drops by opening and
closing the spout.
Price: $2500 Wt: 120kg
Leaf Blower: This is a standard gas powered commercial leaf
blower, it is occasionally used in the Eastern United States in
hardwood forests for constructing fire line (it is used to blow the
leaves away from an area creating a fire break).
Price: $150 Wt: 6.8kg Fuel Cap: 2 liters Fuel Cons: 2 liters per
period
Ping pong ball aerial ignition device: This is an ignition device
mounted in a helicopter, ping pong balls are filled with a chemical,
just as the ball is dispensed from the machine a needle injects a
second chemical resulting in a reaction, a few seconds after being
dropped the ball "melts" igniting any nearby combustables. Despite
Hollywood depictions of exploding ping pong balls, these ping pong
balls simply ignite into a small pool of burning goo.
Price: $3500 Wt: 18.2kg Magazine: 250 ping pong balls
Portable pump: This is a gasoline powered water pump, these are
generally more powerful than floto-pumps. Most portable pumps use
a special 19 liter (5 gallon) fuel can similar to the type used with an
outboard motor. The pump uses a 3m (10 feet) semi flexible hard
suction hose to draft from a water source and most only need about
0.15m (6") of water to operate. Portable pumps are often used to
supply water to hoses when there is no road access for a fire engine.
Wt: 20.5kg (fuel can adds 14kg) Pump flow: 190 liters / min (50
gallons per minute)
Price: $1500 Fuel Cap: 19 liters Fuel Cons: 4 liters per period
Terra Torch: Otherwise known as a flame thrower. This is a trailer
mounted flame thrower generally used for controlled burning. Terra
Torches are uncommon.
Price: $2500 Wt: 365kg Fuel Cap: 190 liters
ROF Damage Pen Magazine Recoil Range

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Very pistol: This is a flare pistol which fires 12 gauge incediary

flares, it is used to ignite fires at a distance during firing operations.
Price: $100 Wt: 1kg Range: 10

Personal gear and safety equipment

Boots: Heavy leather boots with 8-12" ankle protection. Boots are
the closest thing to a status item with wildland firefighters, most
equipment is issued but boots are generally purchased by the user.
Once an individual has spent 21 days in a pair of boots they
understand the value of a good pair. Generally new firefighters buy
the most economical pair of boots available (usually $80-120), more
seasoned veterans will spend the money for the best they can get
often paying $250-400, custom fit boots are not uncommon. This
money goes for quality construction not glitter, it is spent for
comfort not vanity. So when meeting an unknown firefighter the first
impression is often determined by a glance footward, a cheap pair of
boots says I am inexperienced or I spend most of my time in the
office.
Price: $80-400 Wt: 4kg
Chain saw chaps: These are similar to the chaps used by horse
riders but are made of kevlar cloth. They are designed to protect a
chainsaw operators legs from the saw. If the saw cuts into the chaps
the kevlar abrades away quickly jamming the saw and usually
protecting the sawyer, the chaps are generally destroyed in this
process.
Price: $150 Wt: 1kg
Fire Shelter: This is a tent made of heavy duty aluminum foil
backed with fiberglass cloth, it is used as a last resort when trapped
by fire. It may sound like a worthless piece of equipment unlikely to
work but it reflects 95+% of the radiant heat generated by a fire
and has been credited with saving the lives of more than 300
firefighters in the U.S. since its introduction in the 1970's. Its use is
largely restricted to the United States although Austrailia was
involved in its development. It is a required piece of equipment in
the U.S. but most other countries do not issue them due to the cost.
It is prepackaged folded into a rectangle about 0.15m x 0.24m
(6x10") and issued with a canvas cover which is hung on a belt.
Price: $100 Wt: 1.5kg
Hardhat: This is a standard plastic construction helmet, full brim
and cap styles are both common and vary by region, often a fire
resistant cloth shroud is attached to the helmet to protect the face

from burns. A few agencies issue helmets with the look of a

traditional firefighters helmet.
Price: $25 Wt: 0.4kg
Headlamp: This is a battery powered headlamp designed to fit on a
helmet. It is bright enough to allow a person to walk confidently in
broken terrain on a dark night and will last approximately 6-8 hours
on four AA batteries. The most common designs use a large rubber
band which goes around the outside of the helmet.
Price: $15 Wt: 0.2kg
Nomex or Fire resistant cotton clothing: Nomex is a fire
resistant cloth, fire resistant does not mean fire proof, it will burn
but when removed from a source of heat the fire goes out. The most
common designs are jump suits or a long sleeved shirt and pants,
designs that include lots of pockets are popular. Fire resistant cotton
is often used as a substitute material, it is regular cotton treated
with a fire resistant chemical and is about one half the cost of
Nomex. Both materials are about the weight and thickness of heavy
cotton or denim.
Price: $200 Wt: 1kg
Web gear: Similar in fuction to military web gear, in fact some
agencies use surplus web gear. The most common designs blend
military and recreational technology, these generally include a
detachable pack (about the size of a day pack), pouches for
canteens (2-6 1 liter canteens), holders for 2-6 fusies and a pouch
for a fire shelter at the small of the back. Additional small pouches
on the shoulder straps can be added to most for notebooks, weather
kits, compasses, flashlights etc. Web gear is available in a multitude
of colors ranging from camoflage to bright pink.
Price: $100 Wt: 1.5kg

Misc. Equipment
Belt Weather kit: This is a small kit designed to fit on a belt, it
includes a compass along with several specialized pieces of
equipment used to determine the current wind speed / direction, air
temperature and humidity. A notebook and pencil are included for
documenting the results. None of the equipment is electronic.
Price: $100 Wt: 1kg
Fire Line Handbook: This is a book about the size of a standard
paperback book which is often carried by crew leaders. It includes
charts used to calculate fire behavior including rate of spread,
probability of ignition, flame length etc, most of these charts require
a weather kit to obtain current data needed for these calculations. In

addition to this there are charts with estimations of work potential

for various resources, safety reminders and other useful information
including first aid, compass use, hand signals etc.
Price: $10 Wt: 0.5kg
Hose: Fire hose, this comes in 3 sizes.
3/4" (19mm) This comes in a 15.2m (50 feet) length and is about
the diameter of a garden hose but is made of a thin material, it can
be rolled up to the size of a flat soft ball. It can flow up to about 38
liters (10 gallons) per minute. Price: $20 Wt: 0.5kg
1" (25mm) This comes in a 15.2m (50 feet) or 30.3m (100 feet)
lengths. It can flow up to 114 liters (30 gallons) per minute. Price:
$50-100 Wt: 2-4kg
1.5" (37mm) This comes in a 15.2m (50 feet) or 30.3m (100 feet)
lengths. It can flow up to 380 liters (100 gallons) per minute. Price:
$50-100 Wt: 4-8kg
Hose Accessories:
Adaptors: These come in a wide variety of designs based on use
and are similar in function to plumbing adaptors, common functions
are increasers / reducers to allow a larger or smaller hose to be
connected, double male / female to reverse the threads and thread
adaptors to allow a different type of thread design to be used.
Price: $25-50 Wt: 0.1kg
1.5" Gated Wye: Goes on the end of a hose to split it into 2 "legs",
a shut off is included on each exit to stop water from entering that
leg if desired. These are often used to run a "trunk line" running a
long distance with a wye placed in it at places people would want to
have a hose and nozzle. Adaptors are used to use a smaller hose,
often a large hose is used for a trunk and a smaller hose is used to
provide water at desired locations. Price: $50 Wt: 1kg
Nozzles: Goes on the end of a hose to control the flow of water.
3/4" (19mm) This is a standard metal garden nozzle with a range
of approximately 10 meters, flow rate is about 13 liters (3 gallons)
per minute. Price: $5 Wt: 0.1kg
1" (25mm) This nozzle may be set for 38 or 76 liters (10 or 20
gallons) per minute. It has a maximum range of approximately 20m.
Price: $25 Wt: 0.3kg
1.5" (37mm) This is nozzle may be set for 76 or 285 liters (20 or 75
gallons) per minute. It has a maximum range of approximately 30m.
Price: $50 Wt: 0.5kg