The Incredible Origin of the Firefighter's Halligan Bar

[@BrianHalligan-USA]

Adam, my great grandfather is Hugh Halligan and my family is incredibly proud of the Halligan Tool. Thanks for covering my family's story! Please feel free to reach out of you'd like to connect to learn more!

[@CountDoucheula]

Do you know perchance if he was a Jesuit, or Jesuit educated? I was thing about the inscription of which Adam was unsure, and I think it could possibly be AMDG Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (for the greater glory of God). I was educated in a Jesuit secondary school, and they made you write that in the margin of every page.

[@BrianHalligan-USA]

@@CountDoucheula that is the inscription! He was jesuit educated

[@nmfrankl]

I work at a Jesuit school. Love seeing this in the comments.

[@patrickharvey158]

The greatest tool to hit the fire ground since the motorized pump

[@Arrowed_Sparrow]

Dude, that's frickin awesome.

[@rhodesj]

I'm former rural EMS - we carried a long (2.5-foot) Halligan on our buses in case we needed to get into a home or car before fire could get there. There's two things about it that made me fall in love with it almost instantly: 1) It's extremely satisfying to use. You can be faced with a security door, a chained gate, a fixed shut truck door, anything, and, used properly, a Halligan will defeat it. I was often the largest guy on scene, so got to use it frequently and the feeling when whatever barrier gave way was just beautifully fulfilling. When you can get your whole body into it and you're a 21 year old college kid who hit the gym five days a week, you can pop a door off in seconds. 2) Anyone who uses tools knows the feeling of having access to a tool that you absolutely, positively know isn't going to let you down. Short of a bank vault, I knew that I had something in arms reach that would get me and my fellows to a patient quickly and efficiently instilled such a sense confidence that we'd never be rendered helpless by a barrier in getting to a patient. The Halligan left us with a feeling that we could always get to the people that needed us. Halligan gave us way more than a tool - he gave us a way to make sure that every patient got a fighting chance, and he deserves to be remembered by way more people than he is for it.

[@TheAJWendel]

The anxiety of wondering if Adam will stab himself with the Halligan brought a level of drama that really elevated this piece.

[@GirishManjunathMusic]

I wouldn't have thought of it, but I read this comment and now I'm constantly on edge.

[@anon_y_mousse]

Good to know I'm not the only who thinks such thoughts. Maybe it's the pessimist in me, but I'm always worried that people will hurt themselves when they're flailing about with a tool.

[@OffandOn13]

I'm exhausted...

[@edwardfletcher7790]

The way he was moving it around his head & neck with the spike pointing towards his skull 😢

[@KazyEXE]

Me during that one bit in Savage Builds where he used a saw on an object he was bracing on his leg.

[@austinwagner3231]

Adam getting excited about tools is like coming home to your dog after a long day. It fills me with so much joy

[@tested]

Aw .... Thanks for this. We'll pass it along to Adam.

[@kentmarsh6442]

That, plus Adam has got a good buzz on.

[@Crayven135]

I'm a volunteer firefighter in Germany and the first time we got one of those was about 2010. Yes, that's how long it took us to adapt a great tool like this. Aside from its main field of application it also works great for opening car doors or as an anchor point to rappel out of windows in emergency situations.

[@ThumperE23]

It also works well for shutting off quarter turn valves, and on Adam's he has the D rings for rope to horizontally ventilate from the floor above.

[@ThumperE23]

@@tj2375 There is also, in the USA, a very localized approach, people living around NYC want to copy the FDNY, people that live around Chicago, want to Copy Chicago, and things that someone outside those shperes of influence are doing doesn't always get through their thought process.

[@imjeremy51]

Thats kinda crazy, I have never seen a truck without at least 2. A set of "irons" goes to the front door per SOP, and my tool of choice is the hallagain. A big perk is you can crawl without smashing your fingers, its the little things.

[@thomasmueller1745]

That’s late, didn’t know exactly, but we had it sooner here. So it didn’t took that long everywhere in Germany.

[@TwisterTLT1]

Man y'all missed out for a while! But at least ya got them! You can even get car hoods open with the spike end if ya need to quickly.

[@claykalmar8131]

A Halligan and a flat head axe stored and used together are called "Irons." Glad you covered that. Also jokingly called "The Keys to the City." That dynamic duo is just that, dynamic. Very few places we can't get into with those bad boys and a healthy dose of technique and muscle. It's a fun day at the station when it's time to practice forcible entry! Im a volunteer firefighter from western PA.

[@JessHull]

Awesome! Is it true that firehouses have really good food? I hear Firefighters eat amazingly.

[@carlosbovia6813]

Hail to you Sir... Be safe brother...!!

[@errhka]

Also the symbol for Iron = Fe Forcible Entry! :D

[@fogdelm]

The "keys" thats what our FD called them.. I still have mine out in the shed.

[@Theupstateidiots]

@@JessHull depends on your department. Volunteers don't normally man their stations. Paid departments do and generally live there while they're working 12 or 24 hour shifts. So they generally have a little more time for meal planning. In a volunteer case, if we're on a fire, we call our ladies auxiliary to come make us food. However when we do quick food, it's usually pizza. 😂 -Volunteer from Lake George NY.

[@centralrunner0603]

Before the Kelly Bar, there was the Claw Tool that looks like a big fish hook. It was left over by burglars who robed a bank and set it on fire to cover their tracks. Kelly saw this and thought ‘hey, we could use a tool like this’ and developed the Kelly Tool. Halligan then built upon the Kelly Tool to make his Halligan tool.

[@troyclayton]

Wow. Really cool, thanks!

[@eji78]

Truth. I was going to post this. That bank fire eventually gave way to the first Rescue Company

[@komohale3522]

@@eji78 The claw bar had the forked adze at one end like the Halligan and the other end had the big hook-like deal like a big shephard's crook that would fit over your head with a point on the end and a heel on the outside of the hook for purchase while prying.

[@Weezlenut]

When Adam gets excited about something it's like trying to get an explanation about what happened from a 10 year old hopped up on sugar. It can be tough to follow along but man is it entertaining to watch. Adam, your enthusiasm in infectious. Don't ever change!

[@hollismccray3297]

Side note on the FDNY not adopting the tool: Firefighters were buying them out of their own money until the department decided to officially adopt the Halligan bar. I love that you are geeking out about something so useful like this! I got to watch a demonstration of the Halligan bar in action once and it was just amazing.

[@philreynolds7216]

The actual dimensions of the classic Halligan bar are also important. The original (? Or maybe just what I know as the “standard”) Halligan was 30” long because that’s the standard width of an interior doorway in the US, thus the entire tool could be operated within the area of a standard doorway. The Halligan has three included tools: the adze, fork, and pike. The adze is 2” wide, so if the adze is inserted into a gap and the tool is pushed sideways, the user gets a 15:1 mechanical advantage. Believe me, a 250-lb guy with a 15:1 mechanical advantage can move a bunch of stuff.

[@alexkitner5356]

I had read somewhere that he would make them to request for some guys and that all the FDNY ones he made were given because the rules said they couldn't purchase them, not just that it was done for public image. Hence why Boston was the first officially.

[@Mrjcowman]

One might even say a ton of stuff

[@pb2959]

As a 250 pound firefighter, can confirm. 🤣

[@accountxabcdef]

When thats not enough, you can stick two Halligan Tools together to nearly double again (approx 25:1). I'm a voluntary firefighter in Germany and (nearly) every Firefighter truck (in Germany) has one on board - even our Firefighter car for the operation administration.

[@pb2959]

@@accountxabcdef Two together isn't something we trained, but I will give it a try. While we're going on about leverage, in an emergency, two guys can easily lift (well more tilt?) a car using a 16-20ft ladder... the ladder may be damaged, but if its gotta raise a few inches in a big hurry, it works.

[@SinisterMD]

I am a full time physician but on my off time I love to learn about things outside medicine. I absolutely love that you have a passion for tools, technology and learning. I love even more that you do such a wonderful job of sharing that passion with the rest of us. Thank you so much for spreading knowledge as that's the only way we can continue to grow in society and as individuals.

[@The.Pickle]

Well said👍

[@tested]

Thank you for the kind comment -- we'll pass it along to Adam!

[@seanmahoney2671]

You also should get into the fire side of things! Well, most fire departments run the EMS for the area as well to one degree or another and it is a completely different beast in the field. When it comes to tools, for example, we carry vehicle extrication tools on our ambulance just in case we need to pry a car open like a can to get at the patient inside.

[@thezirons]

Having the last name of Irons and being a firefighter resulted in some good jokes at my expense and caused some hilarious confusion among the rookies. During training if someone would yell, "Grab the irons!!" or "Put the irons back in the truck", someone would end up giving me a bear hug and try to carry me off. Thanks for going in depth on one of the best tools in a firefighters arsenal, great video!!

[@DobieTanpaw]

I haven't been a firefighter for going on 25 years now, but I still carry a collapsible Halligan Bar in my truck at all times. They are SO versatile in every day life, and I've actually used it twice at car crashes that I've chanced upon to pop stuck doors open so I could asses an injured occupant. But I will say, if you choose to buy one for yourself, be sure to learn how to use it properly so you don't injure yourself or someone nearby.

[@zachbrenner9959]

Y'all would be surprised by the number of furries in the fire service or public safety in general. We're everywhere

[@Nothing-zw3yd]

I was a vol back in the 90's, and always kept one in my car. Never used it to force entry into a crashed car, but fended off an asshole or two with it. Freaked them out when I pulled out a multi-pronged heavy piece of metal.

[@chrisconversino6294]

The forest service has a Guage that works with axes and shovels and picks to know if the tool is probably sharpened and if the tool is still serviceable. One of my best weird purchases. And also, New York city still keeps a blacksmith on staff because their infrastructure is so old that they don't make the shut off tools to gas and waterlines anymore.

[@jazermano]

Huh, thats pretty neat!

[@Ducati121]

San Francisco Fire has a woodshop and produces its own wooden ladders still.

[@SAOS451316]

That implies either that the NYC infrastructure is so well-built that it hasn't changed, or that it's so poorly-built that they haven't changed it. Having lived there for a time it's both at once in different places and different ways. Some places the pipes are mammoth steel and concrete masses that will last a thousand years but they're leaking at the joints. Other places the pipes are held together by the rust but the plumbers and construction workers really did their best putting them together.

[@chrisconversino6294]

Here's a excerpt about that guage. Can't remember were I ordered it from but with a part # you might be able to find. The Missoula Technology and Development Center has developed a handtool sharpening gauge that provides a quick guide to the proper cutting angle for a number of tools. The gauge takes the guesswork out of sharpening Pulaskis (both ends), axes, shovels, combination tools, and McLeods. It has a "no-go" line that shows when a Pulaski head is too worn to refurbish. The handtool sharpening gauge is available from the General Services Administration, item number: NSN 5210-01-324-2776, NFES 0510

[@littlekong7685]

@@SAOS451316 That is what different levels of corruption do. Force the sale of massive pipes at overinflated prices to gouge money from the city, poorly trained workers from gutted hiring firms have no idea how to put them in because they aren't standard and not in the book, few know how to make it work properly as they lack experience. Then, legit, experienced, union workers are given slashed budgets, second hand equipment, and told the money just vanished somehow now go made do. So they do, they know the stuff is garbage, but they have a job and have standards to meet, so they make it work, and because it takes so long, more money is siphoned off as per the plan.

[@jaydigshistory36]

The Halligan marries very easily with a flat head axe. The Halligan also when crawling through smoke, is held against the floor in front of you, the point and adz as a triangle. If you come to a hole or a stair the Halligan drops pressing your fingers to the floor. It’s also a handy step in a pinch. As Capt Morris(FDNY Resque 1 ret.) would say, there is NO door that cannot be opened by the Halligan and an expert user.

[@patrickharvey158]

Can confirm

[@epremeaux]

So its a sensor too?!?! what more can this thing do? lol

[@patrickharvey158]

@@epremeaux everything

[@sqike001ton]

Is also a good sounder and an anchor for a escape it truly is the multitool of the fire service

[@pb2959]

Hey! We weren't taught this technique here! Thanks!!!

[@89ludeawakening1]

The letters on the original are AMDG which is an initialism for the Latin phrase "Ad Majorem Dei Glorian" which translates to "For the greater Glory of God"

[@theaxeman8492]

Hi Adam. 25 year veteran of the Montreal fire service here and forcible entry instructor for the department - and I just wanted to note that of the 3 most useful hand tools in the fire service still to this day - Hugh Halligan invented two!!! The Halligan and the New York Roof Hook. Along with the flat head axe, these three tools accomplish the majority of tasks required by hand tools on the fireground. You should check out the roof hook 😉 and do a forcible entry class with a reputable instructor - you’d love it!

[@derickolvenbach7508]

You are hardly a regular person. I mean that in the most respectful and admirable way possible.

[@TACTICALsnakez]

The axe and Halligan are also called a married set. Fitting name because you use both equally to get in a door. The history of firefighting tools is so fun. Look into the NY hook, it’s the second most used tool

[@dcimedic]

Also referred to as the Irons

[@ZiddersRooFurry]

@@dcimedic As we saw in the video.

[@chrisconversino6294]

That pole has so many ancestors. There are boat hooks, and the pikes used by lumber men to push over hung up trees or break up log jams, or even the panking poles used to gather fruit. The proverbial "ten foot pole".

[@TACTICALsnakez]

@@chrisconversino6294 Exactly! The history of modern day firefighting tools is awesome. Heck the Jaws of Life were invented by a nascar driver

[@DoubsGaming]

@@TACTICALsnakez wot?

[@mikek4043]

Great Video! As an ex-fireman, I can tell you, the first thing we were taught, it to grab the Halligan bar as we exit the truck, so we have something useful!

[@w3smm]

Great video Adam. Just a note about the links on the bar. My favorite "backstep" position on the ladder company was what we called the "bar" position. That was the guy who brought the irons. I rode this spot on a busy truck outside of DC for years. The Halligan bar is sold now with those links and a carrying strap attached but that's not the original purpose. The purpose was for the roof guy to be able to use his bar as a nun-chuck so to speak when operating in an area where a ladder cant reach the window for ventilation. You can drop the bar ,attached to a rope from the roof or toss it from another building and crash it thorough the window to provide ventilation. It can also be paired with a hook to add more control.

[@georgeadams588]

I was a firefighter for 30 years and was fortunate enough to be trained by FDNY on forced entry. I not only was familiar with the story but intimate in the use of that tool.

[@charlesplatt2597]

Thank you for showing so much care and so much pride for our tools and history! It means more than you know

[@nunyabusiness4904]

I'm a military cop and I'll never forget the first time I saw a halligan in action, I was responding to a house where someone was in need of medical attention, my responsibility is to secure the scene and get patient information so people can be notified, pretty much this guy hadn't shown up for work, his leadership knew he had a history of serious medical issues so they went to see that he was OK. So the guy definitely needed help, couldn't get to the door and the door was locked and deadbolted. Fire Department arrived on scene right behind us and it took them 2 whole seconds to get that door open.

[@alexsterling5186]

As a volunteer firefighter, one of my favorite tools! Some many uses which are only limited by your creativity.

[@Doc9662]

Adam, I spent 5 years as a firefighter before I had an accident and in that time I used the halogen tool many many times as a truck. Man, we love this tool and I can still remember one of my favorite moments as a firefighter was when we were making entry to a very small community Church and the doors were locked and it was just two inward swinging wooden doors and I can remember taking the ads end and hitting that door by swinging it like a battering ram and as the doors popped in and the smoke rolled out is still one of my favorite moments and I have no idea why. The halogen tool is an absolutely essential tool and every firefighter past and present is grateful to Chief halligan for creating it. Many tools have been created to kind of replace or revamp the halogen but still somehow to this day it remains a staple.

[@nonenowherebye]

Another specialized tool to look at is the Pulaski. It' consists of an axe on one side, and a hoe on the back, and is used in wildland firefighting. The idea is hat it allows the user to cut a fireline with a single tool, clearing down to mineral earth so that the fire will not progress. It was invented by a USFS Ranger called Edward Pulaski, after the "Big Burn" killed several men on his crew. It allows any hotshot firefighter to quickly create a safe spot for him or herself to hopefully avoid these kinds of situations.

[@philipoakley5498]

Very similar to a Mattock, but optimised for forest fire work.

[@RobMacKendrick]

@@philipoakley5498 With one important difference: both blades of a mattock are horizontal. The pulaski is an axe with a mattock blade forged into the back. In retrospect, it's surprising it took so long to invent. Aside from fighting fires, it's the perfect tool to have behind the seat of your truck for confronting any number of challenges that crop up in the outback.

[@chuckb470]

Love those. I've used them doing trail maintenance on the PCT. Haven't bought myself one yet; they're not cheap!

[@swayback7375]

@@RobMacKendrick actually I think the name maddock can be correctly apply to lots of tools. In my experience if it has an adze style blade then it qualifies, maybe not. Either way, you can find 1000maddock designs, but it’s usually a big adze blade with a small fairly useless ax blade on the back. The adze blade it the primary tool, with a Pulaski the ax is primary for sure! But more importantly I think is the size and particularly the shape of the adze blade, being a triangle or wedge with the narrowing blade becoming very thick where it joins together. Typically a maddock is farming tool and it absolutely is superior for making long deep trenches or furrows in loose plowed soil, that’s why they don’t taper, they need to gather and move loose soil, a Pulaski is awful at this! But if you need to trench thru hard, unworked ground, especially with grass or roots you can surgically cut it with a Pulaski! It’s my #1 hand tool. It can do SOOOO much! I actually think it’s best feature is how you can pry with it! It’s unrivaled at removing small trees and shrubs, a couple of well place ax blows will sever a few anchor roots, exposing the tap root or the burl underground, sink the adze blade under it, rock back and forth with off hand while prying up with main hand or even use both hands on the tree while actually sitting on the handle. Omg I can rip out bush honeysuckle faster than any 2 man team with machinery or power tools, if it’s on a steep and loose hillside then it works even better! It’s a remarkable tool that literally no one in the East knows about, I think the firefighters, especially hotshots helped popularize them more out west.

[@nekokyun]

I cannot tell you HOW HAPPY I am to find this video. I just became a volunteer firefighter, working towards going career, and I wanted some cool history on this tool... You have provided splendidly!

[@thein-tele-gent5654]

Glad you mentioned the spike being used for forcibly opening hasp style locks. One of the other many ways we use it is driving it axe swing style into a roof to be used as a foot brace when using a roof vent saw (angled chain saw with a carbide toothed blade). That use alone has doubtless saved the lives and limbs of countless firefighters.

[@AR-un3yw]

I've definitely used a halligan many times to secure my footing while opening a roof.

[@iancruse8434]

Adam, the Halligan bar is an awesome tool! 30” is the standard length and it gives 15:1 mechanical advantage when prying with the adz (the flat part by the spike) end and 6:1 advantage when prying with the fork end. The company that manufactures the Pro Bar is owned by a guy named Bob Farrell who worked for FDNY. When he was a young guy, he machined a lock puller into the Halligan that he was assigned and was promptly ordered to call Chief Halligan and buy a replacement from him out of his own pocket. The rings that are welded onto your Pro Bar also serve as an attachment point for rope or webbing so that an outside vent man can drop/swing the tool from a floor above the fire to break glass for ventilation. It is a very special tool and Chief Halligan brought many great things to the fire service that we still use today!

[@petergrillo2957]

Hi Adam, I’m not sure if this has been mentioned already, but those “eye hooks” are used in our department less for slinging the tool over your shoulder. We actually use one eye hook, to secure either a carabiner fitted to our halligan hook or a rope, to swing the tool either from an upper floor or the roof to “take” windows from above. The halligan is our bread and butter!

[@brandonseyfried1251]

I think the FDNY guys started welding the eyelets on their bars in-house for just that purpose before they were available like that commercially.

[@jonathanthomas7228]

The Halligan is a great bailout tool as well, if used with the rope/carbiner as your method of slowing your descent out of a window. You can use the Haligan to secure yourself by placing it on the interior of the window frame, and then dropping your rope out the window to gtfo. You can also use it in the reverse method to gain entry via a window. Such a dynamic tool. I really should buy one for personal use, dunno why I haven't yet tbh.

[@nathanweber8613]

I have always loved Adam Savage, especially from the Myht Busters days. And as a firefighter I am extatic that he covered the most useful tool on the rig

[@AR-un3yw]

Thank You for this video. I am a retired 40 career firefighter and fully agree that the irons are a staple in firefighting. Give a seasoned firefighter a set of irons and a good partner and entry is pretty much guaranteed into a standard building. Would love to see your reaction to several fire training videos showing the irons in use, or better yet hit up your local fire training academy and see if you could participate in a forcible entry class. I'm sure you would enjoy it!

[@Fate2071]

It is so wonderful to watch someone whos brain is littarely flooding with so many ideas and infos he wants to tell that he is struggling to put them into words and is so exited over what he has learned. You sir are an avatar for the joy of learning and teaching/sharing what was learned.

[@stevec9625]

Love it Adam. I was a Boston Jake for 37 years, most of that on a ladder company. We carried the Halligan with a 5 pound maul as the open up tools. I’m sure that was an economics thing, the maul was less expensive than an axe. Only a few companies had flat head axes. We rotated duty on the truck monthly so I would be the open up man occasionally. I’ll admit I liked the roof position best with an axe and a power saw. The roof man also drove the tiller, there’s no more fun way to get to a fire. I didn’t know the full story of the Halligan bar so thanks.

[@Mrhalligan39]

I prefer an 8 pound sledge to the flat head axe myself, I like my axe with a pick. Most of the time, once you’re through the entry door forcible entry is over and you’re into search and salvage. The pick head axe is still the primo tool for turning furnishings into kindling.

[@FalconzInc]

This tool is literally the pinnacle of amazing tools in the Fire Service. We are taught to do everything with this tool and to this day it remains my FAVORITE tool. You could shut off natural gas leads with it, you could pry into literally anything you want with it, you could search for people with it, you could create purchase points for larger tools (like the jaws of life) with it... This tool literally dictated the entire Fire Service and for good reason, if you couldn't use it properly, you wouldn't be able to be an effective firefighter. Nowadays not only do firefighters use this tool, police departments, military, EMS, use it for all sorts of needs. Glad to see it's getting some attention!!

[@sethbeall962]

Truly a great tool, and a great video about it. As I train new firefighters on my department, I try to impress upon them the importance of always having a tool. "Without a tool, you are useless." The irons are our go-to for so many jobs I can't count. Using them correctly is certainly an art. I love the nickname "Keys to the City," but also "8 1/2 pounds of f*** s*** up." Thank you, Adam, for shining a spotlight on everyone's favorite ugly tool.

[@MrSeanPKind]

Simply put it is your pure and honest humility that keeps me coming back. One can not be honest in my opinion without realizing the sheer volume of shit we don't know along our path and learning what we can, where we can. Keep passing it on. Stay Kind and Keep Smiling

[@MichielKlaver]

Over here in Europe we love the Nupla version of the Halligan tool, it's coated with nickel for abrasion resistance and has a bright yellow anti-slip non-conductive handle. With it's length of 30 inches it's giving a 15:1 mechanical advantage and 2 inches of spread between the jamb and door

[@daviddrake4715]

Always love the tool tip storytelling and the way as Adam is explaining the book he moves up beside the camera making it feel like you are there beside him in person and that he's talking to you and not the internet

[@michaelpeace716]

I wonder if the scratching his eyebrow when he mentions lighting things on fire is a subconscious reaction to singing his eyebrows in Mythbusters

[@ANZAC1915]

G'day Adam. Rural volunteer firefighter in Australia here and we use it, too although it doesn't get used a lot in a bushfire scenario. We also colloquially refer to it as the "hooligan" tool. Cheers for the info and your terrific channel, from Down Under.

[@gregpross7539]

Chief Hugh Halligan also invented a tool called the Halligan Hook (also called a New York Roof hook) for use on roofs and other areas. It’s a 6ft long tool that most firefighters are carrying these days as well. You should totally research it Adam!

[@legen_dary42]

Great for VEIS!

[@napster7825]

Terrific video, Adam. After 30-plus years of firefighting, I have to agree that the Halligan tool is the best all-around tool on a fire truck. And when mated with a flat head ax (Irons) and the proper training, you can do truly amazing things.

[@filo135]

I love those videos that you just end up loving the most, a story about a tool that will never end up in my hands. Yet so compeling.

[@chrisanthony7847]

As an Aust FF, thank you for coming back to this one Adam! An incredibly useful tool that can be unappreciated in its many functions. Incredible the things you can pull off with just this and the sledge axe.

[@BlueLightSpecial2023]

It's actually, technically FDNY, not NYFD.

[@JordanGarfinkle-d8s]

Great video! Quick thought from a volunteer firefighter who’s used the irons more than any other tool: the Halligan in your video is pretty short; if you need more leverage when prying, the “claw” end of two Halligans will slide securely together perpendicularly. This effectively doubles the length of the bar and adds a ton of leverage. Maybe fodder for a future video on the magic of leverage!

[@timothypachonka8642]

The Halligan tool was talked about in the book “ Report from Engine Co. 82 “ by Dennis Smith, documenting a year in a South Bronx firehouse in the late 60s to early 70s. One was lost at a scene and it cost the guys $5 each to get a replacement. Critical gear for a long time.

[@Trebor1415]

I read that book as a kid and couldn't remember the title to find it again. Thanks!

[@TheRoadhammer379]

I live in a very rural area, and most of the fire companies are volunteer and operate on donations and fundraising events. Our fire company maintains a beautiful fleet of old Mack Superliner trucks, they are often referred to as the pride of the county, taking part in many parades across the region and often called upon to provide mutual support for other fire companies. Our fire company employs several large Husqvarna chainsaws alongside their Halligan bars, axes and demolition saws. With those huge chainsaws and Halligan bars, I've seen them open up entire walls on homes and barns to save lives. Truly an effective arsenal of tools.

[@raf42]

My dad is not a firefighter, but he has always been a great appreciator of their tools and equipment. For Father's day I got him a mini halligan bottle opener.

[@Peter-oh3hc]

You rock! what a great gift

[@TheSebbel19]

Hi adam. I am an volunteer firefighter from Germany, we also use the halligan. if needed you can use it for any kind of emergency. getting inside somethin, or out, brake windows, catt roofs/engine cover of cars, open all kinds of doors. even go trough walls, if need. you can also lift stuff, or stabilize something, we use it to search in a fire, making our arms longer. an so on. hundrets of possibilitys. and i think thousend´s of people around the world got rescued using an halligan.

[@michaelcarpenter3563]

The irons are king. Not only found on fire trucks but also on ambulances around the world. Love you, Adam!

[@davidbenner2289]

Retired firefighter here. Old school. Satisfying show.

[@julianaantoninus579]

My apartment caught fire two months ago and the FDNY were incredibly effective in their response. They know their way around the quirks of building technique in this city and it SHOWS. Thanks for sharing that report-love to know how they do their homework.

[@jonathanthomas7228]

Was it ESU that responded? I didnt know NYPD carried Halligans in their cars.

[@julianaantoninus579]

@@jonathanthomas7228 errrr I definitely meant to type FDNY

[@redlight722]

My favorite tool. I had a black military style at the house that I had found on eBay, it had different attachments for whatever forcible entry problem you might have. The bar “walked off” out of the garage one day with a Husqvarna commercial chainsaw. I am a fireman 30 plus years now. Thank you Adam for show.

[@jasonheaford8271]

The Halligan Bar (or Hooligan Bar as it's commonly known in the UK) is an excellent bit of kit that is also in use by SAS CT Teams as one of their many breaching tools.

[@shaggorama]

it's possible the name "hooligan" is actually something that was picked up from marketing, as this is the name paratech uses for their model of the halligan bar

[@phaserrifle3]

Met police firearms teams (And a number of other police method of entry specialists) use them too.

[@WMBri]

"Regular Person" - Adam Savage Builder, Celebrity, Really really Smart man extraordinar. This man is the best kind of Irregular Person around

[@brucequam7416]

In my Fire Department, we have an original Halligan bar with Hugh Halligan's signature embossed into the metal. When I first started, it was the only Halligan we had.

[@coolguyhino92]

Only Adam could give off so much enthusiasm and genuine joy at the aspect of extending new badass info about things he just learned he was completely ignorant about. Damn i love Adam. & all tested crew.

[@Muzukoo42]

As an infantryman in the army we also used those to open doors. Some of our breach kits would have one along with a pair of bolt cutters and a small sledge. To ease weight a lot of guys would leave behind the other tools and just carry a Halligan. We also had shotguns and c4 for the really stubborn doors.

[@trenthanna6524]

This is exactly why I keep watching your channel. I always learn something.

[@larryturley9268]

I was working at a USAF base as a fire truck mechanic. We received a new crash truck and one of the tools that came with was acording to the list was a "holigan bar" our fire fighters corrected me very fast. They also have uses to force entry into aircraft.

[@petergerdes1094]

I guess it depends on who is using it.

[@scottmulrooney8483]

Holigan, that's hysterical. I had an old school fire instructor that called our class "A bunch of hooligans wielding Halligans"

[@lemonshuh6340]

The Hooligan is actually a separate tool. It is the same shape as a Halligan, but it is multiple pieces connected by pins rather than a solid bar like the Halligan. Basically, just a shittier version. Edit: I may not be correct in my referring to the Hooligan as shittier. See Brad's comment below. Will need to do some field research.

[@bradwagner1645]

@@lemonshuh6340 I use to work for Paratech (the company that makes the hooligan) We have tested it against the Halligan and it out performed or equally performed in every way! The only reason for the pins are to offer more stability to the ends in the event the tool is in an extreme heat situation as we all know metal expands and contracts in different temps. The bar between the ends is actually machine pressed into the end pieces as it is made a bit larger than the hole drilled into the end pieces to offer the best fit and the least amount of failure.

[@lemonshuh6340]

@@bradwagner1645 Interesting, was not aware of that. Does Paratech have any of those tests published?

[@josephalexander3884]

It is not a correction, you presented incomplete, not, incorrect information. Excellent video. Thank you, for acknowledging our firefighters, and your lack of knowledge. Only an intelligent, mature person recognizes their lack of knowledge. This speaks to your professionalism and your dignity.

[@The.Pickle]

Nooooooo, too short, too short...that was captivating, brilliant. That tool literally saves lives. Hail to First Deputy Chief Hugh Halligan. Adam...that was so, SO COOL !!! :) Please, please, please make a longer special about fire fighter tools. Could you take us to a fire station maybe and interview a firefighter, like a Chief and do a deep dive into their world of tools?

[@seanmahoney2671]

He is more than welcome at mine any time!

[@davidgreen40]

I was a volunteer paramedic/firefighter. I enjoyed every bit of the paramedic training (why I volunteered), but the fire course I and ALL of my classmates enjoyed the most was simply titled “Extrication.” Haligans, axes, overhaul tools, ladders, ropes, and the crème de la crème was the Hurst tool, commonly called the “Jaws of Life.” We spent a thoroughly enjoyable Saturday chopping, cutting, prying, and generally ripping wrecked cars to bits. Want a fun distraction, become a volunteer EMT-B, fireman, or paramedic.

[@GearboxEnt]

Hey Adam - those two attachment rings are not intended for carrying, but mainly to attach a chain or strap so you can extend the reach of the tool by *chucking* it - for example if you're up on a roof and need to smash a window below for venting

[@Tiki_Media]

Your enthusiasm was, is, and always will be, infectious! Thank you for doing your part to inspire people to keep on living.

[@vonirkinshtine]

Adam should check out the videos of the halligan being used to anchor bailouts. Truly the most versatile tool in a firefighters toolbox. Also, I'm glad he has a 1-piece bar!

[@pat3765]

@ Adam's Savage's Tested A synonym we use for "The Irons" are "The Keys To The City." Inferring that with with just an axe and a Halligan, a fireman can get into any door in the city.

[@king2kx]

I remember an episode of Forged in Fire were the contestants had to make a Halligan Bar... its like the firefighters swiss army knife. Very cool 👍

[@mikewright8949]

God bless the halligan family and the bar that set the standard for FD tools!

[@chartle1]

I see I future field trip where Adam gets to break into things with the SF Fire Department.

[@mikeforster8798]

The Halligan and the flat axe (the Irons) are some of the best tools on the fire ground.. As a 34 year FF, use them all the time. Good video

[@davetaylor2088]

As a former Australian bushfire fighter (Tasmania) we used a large set of wire/bolt cutters for bringing down fences and cutting chains on gates (we could use the entire truck if we were in a hurry - but the Fire Equipment Division folks frowned on that sort of thing). We called those cutters 'The Masterkey'. I guess the Halligan is pretty much the same style of thing for urban brigades. We were always told to check and see if the door was unlocked before we used extreme prejudice in a structural fire entry situation. 99 times out of 100, if people have evacuated they are unlikely to have locked the door...

[@SeanBZA]

Here the bolt cutters that are waist high are called "The Free State Lockpick", from their use by farmers on the farm, where the farmers will, every year, go out and buy 200 plus locks, all keyed alike in sets of 10, for use on the farm to lock stock gates. Every farmer also has in the rear of the farm truck at least one of these bolt cutters, used, along with the now depleted box of locks, to open gates that either he cannot find the key for on his farm, or where the key does not work. So 5 seconds later there is now no lock, and the pick up goes through, and 10 seconds later a new lock is on. They also are useful for fencing, seeing as you can use them to handle barbed wire at arm's length, and not get hung up, and you can also cut the wire no problem as well, or lightly nip it to tension the wire on a post, or wind the wire around itself to set the fence. Those, along with a set of fencing pliers, are what I use for barbed wire and other fence work, as it is a lot less painful than gloves. The bolt cutters also work on the harder bushes when you need to trim them, but do not want to go fetch the chainsaw.

[@seanmahoney2671]

"Try before you pry" is absolutely taught in every class I give on forcible entry or vehicle extrication. People get so focused on cutting a car open or prying open a door because they can, they often miss that it doesn't mean you should do it unless you have to.

[@RobertTempleton64]

Aside: I sort of love the fact that when Adam thanks the fire fighters for teaching him how to set things on fire safely, he unconsciously rubs his eyebrow (ref.: "Am.. I.. missing an eyebrow").

[@mattigator600]

I looked up the videos of guys punching through serious metal doors with that, knocking off bolts and parts from the outside . Now I get it

[@stephenlabbe8715]

My dad was on Detroit Fire Dept for 26 yesterday- retired in 1977. He loved the Halligan bar - the universal key.

[@Merennulli]

Alec Steele forged one of these earlier this year. It's an interesting, if not terribly complex bit of forging. Glad to hear more about the history of it. I had read about Halligan before and the difficulties getting his tool adopted, but not the rest of this.

[@danielhawkins6425]

Alex actually forged a Pulaski, used by wildfire crews.

[@Merennulli]

@@danielhawkins6425 He did that 2 years ago. This year he did a Halligan.

[@Merennulli]

@@danielhawkins6425 Here's a link to the Halligan video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lXizmoiXicmpnbs

[@danielhawkins6425]

@@Merennulli Thanks for the link, I stand corrected! 👍

[@valuedhumanoid6574]

Such simple geometry yet so powerful. Love your enthusiasm and passion for this stuff. It feeds my own passion for clever tools. This is on the top of the food chain for clever.

[@SuperBearnut]

Adam saying "... not least of which is teaching me how to set sh*t on fire safely" followed by him scratching his eyebrow is absolutely hilarious. (Yes I know it was his hair that was burned and not the eyebrows, but the "Am I missing an eyebrow?" is such an iconic Mythbusters line)

[@HaveADankDay]

Hey! Firefighter here! It is the absolute best tool! A lot of thinking out of the box manipulation uses with it as well. We learn how to use them for bail outs in conjunction with ropes and other climbing equipment

[@duenge]

Many years ago, a contractor was at our fire station, replacing windows. He was having trouble getting the old steel casement frames out, and asked if we had a crow bar to use, as he could not find his. My guys looked at me sideways and smirked.... I handed him a halligan, and his eyes went wide! Out came the frame, and he asked where he could buy one. A couple years later, I ran into him and asked if he ever got a halligan. He said he bought 2 full sized bars, one for each truck, and a mini, just for him....

[@markkeen7168]

I’ve got a 36 inch version of this tool and it’s fantastic, people are always borrowing it to use on various jobs. It was given to me from a company that used to sell them in the UK, I worked for them for nearly 30 years and cheekily asked for one when I left.

[@spacepiratecaptainrush1237]

always fun watching Adam go "I learned a neat thing about this object and I want to tell you all about it"

[@janajeffsilvernickelladventure]

My favorite tool on the rig. Thank You for sharing what we can, do and sometimes shouldn’t use this amazing tool. You are absolutely correct. We use it for everything.

[@shardlake]

Retired from the Emergency services, we used to call these a Hooligan Bar over the pond :) Someone was always responsible for bringing the "Hooli"

[@Everydayinterests]

Your correct, that is the go to tool. As an engine officer, our tool is the hose, but I carry a Halligan without the axe. The Ladder truck has the other irons and heavier stuff to get in if needed. But 90% of the doors we need forced I can do with the Halligan alone or the Halligan and a small metal wedge. Currently, the Pro-bar is the official bar, closest to the Halligan. There are a lot of imitations and most are no good for various reasons. A few years ago, I was in the market for me for myself. A guy said he had one and would trade me for an old soda acid extinguisher I had. When we went to do the trade I noticed it was an original Halligan with the Hugh Halligan signature on the forks. I told him what a gem he had and would not do the trade since it wasn’t a fair trade. A few days later, unbeknownst to me, he sold it to another guy for $50. I found out because I saw the other guy grinding the forks down. I should have made the trade.

[@barfeedbob]

Thank you Adam! I love seeing tools and the history behind them. Excellent work!

[@elementjoe]

Glad to see it makes you as happy as it makes us!

[@DavidHBurkart]

Irons paired together, with the axe blade lodged into the Halligan "V" & the axe handle between the pick and pry of the Halligan, is often called "the Marriage", but typically are simply called "the Irons". These tools are indeed firefighting staples

[@mtak2997]

Hi Adam, I really enjoyed the video. I had worked with the Aviation Rescue and Fire Fighting service here in Australia. They have nicknamed this the "Hooligan Tool" for all the obvious reasons. Keep up the good work

[@Cryptovariable]

We had this, used for forcible entry, in the US Army. It came in a nylon backpack along with a sledge, a long pry-bar, and bolt cutters. We called them all collectively the “Hooligan Tools”. Had no clue it was a fighter fighter’s tool!

[@jrawls09]

I was a career FF for 10 years and there are so many things you can do with a set of irons… we would pop a tire on a wrecked vehicle , place the tool in the corner of a window frame of a 3 story window and attach a bailout rope and rappel down, you could even place the spike through the closed end of a combination lock and hit it with the flat part of the axe (breaking the lock) to gain access quickly to a fenced off area… pretty cool stuff

[@kainlangner619]

Adam!! Since you're talking about firefighter tools, could you please do an episode on the Pulaski, for us wildland firefighting folk?

[@lieuonl72]

Adam...the original Kelly tool had a chisel end, not a fork. The fork on the Halligan actually came from the Claw tool. Back in the day, the truck firefighter (aka truckie) had to carry both the Kelly and Claw tool with them as one was good for a specific situation or door, while the other was good at something else. Chief Halligan saw the need to combine the two bars to make the job of the truckie easier. The chief combined the adz of the Kelly tool with the fork of the Claw tool and added the pike (or pick). The Kelly and Claw were both of round steel, so the chief took into consideration the shape of the shaft, and the bar's length. There are a few versions of the original Halligan before the Pro-Bar. The Pro-Bar came to be in the mid 1970s. if you haven't already talked with Bob Farrell, he'll have plenty more information on the history and Chief Halligan, as he was one of the originators of the Pro-Bar. Some of the earlier versions of the Halligan had the chief's signature and the AM+DG (Ad Majorem Dei Gloriamon) on the forks, as you mentioned. I have a digital copy of Huge Halligan's original article he wrote for FDNY's magazine (WNYF). The article was originally done in April 1950. The copy I have is a re-print of the 1950 article from early 1997. I'd be happy to share it with you. Message me.

[@andysmith5220]

How about do an episode with the fire department and demonstrate it to all the amazing things it does. It would make a great video

[@timothyhoster4951]

It would be a for ever video. The tools are so unique and the uses so vast that One could not do a single video or even one that people would be able to watch.

[@The_Professor_]

I am a marine corps combat engineer and manual entry is one thing we are constantly rehearsing. The halligan (sometimes called a hooligan tool or a hooly-tooly) is by far my favorite tool for manual entry. The use of the adz to crush and gap doors is fantastic. The fork is a monster for ripping out hinges and prying light duty doors. I maintain the opinion that firefighters are the the kings of urban manual and mechanical entry and I study their capabilities often and with great intrigue. Frankly the fire department versions are superior to the military ones (produced by Blackhawk) even before the specialized modifications. An awesome tool and if you ever want some information on how we employ this or our tradecraft let me know. (We play with demolitions well which I know you have an affinity for haha)

[@exceldesign]

Adam you've got to make a swipe file with all the weird/interesting guides/booklets that you've collected. I'd love to have a way to get a digital copy of it all.

[@brokenthought1102]

I agree, a google drive/dropbox etc zip file we can snag a copy of. maybe its an offering on tested/savage industries website for a pdf option + print on demand?

[@victoriaregina8344]

🤣 dont be lazy and go find them!

[@victoriaregina8344]

Collection for personal use is one thing, redistribution is another, all kinds of lawsuits might be coming if he did what you suggested 🤣

[@brokenthought1102]

@@victoriaregina8344 🤣 its a good thing he can ask a lawyer real quick - maybe he doesn't even read this - maybe you take a moment to consider that I may well be underway with that very task... its almost like I have a web browser capable of multiple tabs so I can see to the very thing I'm suggesting so that I can contribute my findings to a greater library of access? 🤣🤣🤣

[@victoriaregina8344]

Dont really give a good goddamn what you may or may not be doing

[@pupeno3]

Ever since I've seen a Halligan in action I've been in love with it. I want to get one. It was clearly a tool designed with lots of field experience and I probably only seen 5% of its use.