More reviews of the new fire equipment

[Gepetto]

The smaller axe reminds me of a naval boarding axe.




Gepetto

[Bill Blackhurst]

My favorite firefighting entry tool was the Halligan Pro Bar Tool  !

[playmofire]

Hey Gordon, I noticed your new style female firefighter figure, do all of the new figures have the flesh colored hands that need the full gloves for protection? Which set did you get her in, or did you get her as a DS order extra?

I don't know about "all", Bill, but the three I have so far do all have flesh-coloured hands.  The female firefighter came with the fire station set I bought.  The idea of flesh-coloured hands for figures which might wear work gloves started with the THW sets.

[Bill Blackhurst]

I don't know about "all", Bill, but the three I have so far do all have flesh-coloured hands.  The female firefighter came with the fire station set I bought.  The idea of flesh-coloured hands for figures which might wear work gloves started with the THW sets.

Uh Oh! I'm not going to like that new design, it was standard on previous versions of the USA firefighter figures, & I didn't like it on them either  !

[playmofire]

Uh Oh! I'm not going to like that new design, it was standard on previous versions of the USA firefighter figures, & I didn't like it on them either  !

I like it, Bill, it adds a little bit extra realism when the firefighters aren't fighting fires etc.  It always looked a bit strange to see them, say, taking a break and apparently wearing gloves, even when the cuffs were taken off.

[Richard]

The beater is used for dealing with grass or other vegetation fires literally by beating the flames out.

Thanks, Gordon. Your reviews are interesting and educational. I always seem to learn something new about the world of firefighting.

I'm a bit curious about what a real "beater" is made out of and how heavy it is.

At first I thought that it was a broom, but when I zoomed in on your picture, I could see that it is definitely NOT a broom.

Thanks again for your enjoyable edutainment!

All the best,
Richard

[Martin Milner]

The beater is used for dealing with grass or other vegetation fires literally by beating the flames out.  It comes in units of one and the UK cost is 20p.  In the second photo you can see it in action at a small grass fire, probably set by bored children at the end of the school holidays.

Or by a bottle thrown from a car window by a careless motorist.

Hey that looks like a lego fire . let it burn

I'm a bit curious about what a real "beater" is made out of and how heavy it is.

At first I thought that it was a broom, but when I zoomed in on your picture, I could see that it is definitely NOT a broom.

Ones I've seen in the UK have a large flap of rubber on a broom-like handle.

[Richard]

Ones I've seen in the UK have a large flap of rubber on a broom-like handle.

Thanks, Martin ...

I've never seen a "beater" used in the States (or in Canada). Doesn't mean that they don't use them ... I've just never seen them used.

[playmofire]

Or by a bottle thrown from a car window by a careless motorist.


 

Ones I've seen in the UK have a large flap of rubber on a broom-like handle.

In general, UK fire brigades seem to use the sort of beater Martin describes, a wooden handle with a leather flap attached.  Sometimes, the handle is the length of a broom handle and the leather flap about the size of a spade, but I have also seen a short handled version with a narrow, maybe three or four inch wide leather strap.  However, Continental brigade appear to have a beater like the Playmobil one which seems to be made of narrow metal "blades" hinged at the handle.  I do have a photo of a French fire jeep with one of these but it is in a book in store at the moment.  I do remember that in the photo the "blade" end is at about 15 degrees below the horizontal, suggesting that it is hinged.

[playmofire]

Now to the PPV (positive pressure ventilation) fan, used for clearing buildings of smoke and fumes.  This comes from the new turntable ladder and it wasn't until I had the parts in my hands that I realised that it appeared to be an electric powered fan and so I also needed the generator from the new turntable ladder appliance to have everything complete.  (In fact, I hadn't ordered the cable although it's shown on the first photo showing the parts and part numbers, but I had one spare already.) 

On the assumption that the fan was meant to be electric powered, I started to assemble it by slotting the cable into the spindle the rotor blade rotates on (photo 2) and then slipped the rotor blade on.  Finally, I slotted the grille/rotor/cable assembly into the body of the fan, having earlier fitted the axle/wheel assembly to the body.  Note the lug which sits in a corresponding slot in the base of the fan body.