How many saws do you carry?

[1500chief@sbcglobal.net]

We normally do not do tree cutting, unless it will help get a person out of a vehicle or some where they may be trapped. Only for extrication operations.

Cutting trees to open streets, is not the our fire departments job. There are agencies within the city that has that responsibility.

It is not really our fire Departments job either. But, we are usually toned out because of the traffic hazard when a tree falls blocking a road. We have very limited law enforcement to assist and it often takes road crews two or three hours to respond. We just cut the tree so we can go home.
We have had a huge amount of trees down this spring. We were able to get a local tree service to come in and give us their safety class. It was very helpful and our guys really took a lot away from it.

[tajm611]

It is not really our fire Departments job either. But, we are usually toned out because of the traffic hazard when a tree falls blocking a road. We have very limited law enforcement to assist and it often takes road crews two or three hours to respond. We just cut the tree so we can go home.
We have had a huge amount of trees down this spring. We were able to get a local tree service to come in and give us their safety class. It was very helpful and our guys really took a lot away from it.

Have you guys talked about DPW taking it over or is it not feasible in your area? Just curious because we face the same problem during hurricane season. DPW don't want to stick around for the storm and our resources are spread too thin so it's becoming a fight.

Sorry for the hijack, just trying to gain some insight.

[LaFireEducator]

Have you guys talked about DPW taking it over or is it not feasible in your area? Just curious because we face the same problem during hurricane season. DPW don't want to stick around for the storm and our resources are spread too thin so it's becoming a fight.

Sorry for the hijack, just trying to gain some insight.

We're having the reverse issue.

In the past 911 would tone us out anytime there was a tree down due to a very long response time for the Parish highway Department. While it was a pain in the buttocks it was something we as an agency didn't mind doing as it sorta fals into Harve's philosphy of "being the agency that does everything".

Apparently the Foreman of the Highway Department has now contacted both the Sheriff's department and 911 about this, as now he wants the HD to respond to all down trees in the road so that his crews can get OT, despite the long response times. So for the moment, we are no longer doing trees down on the roadway.

I suspect that will change in a short time as the SO will get very tired of blocking the road and babysitting down trees for 1-2 hours until the Highway Department shows up.

[GTRider245]

Engine-Vent Master Chain Saw

Squad (as in support/manpower unit)- Two Poulan Tree Saws

Tower-3 Cutters Edge Vent Saws, 1 Vent Master Saw, 1 Partner K 750 with carbide blade, 1 Stihl Rotary Saw with abrasive blade, 1 Partner K 650 with abrasive blade, 1 small McCullah Rotary Saw with abrasive blades

Do you have room on the tower for anything but saws?

[JayDudley]

I'm sorry but someone had to say it...." I can carry only two...one in each hand." Now I feel better and carry on......

[N2DFire]

I'm sorry but someone had to say it...." I can carry only two...one in each hand." Now I feel better and carry on......

If you put a chain saw in one of those wildland saw back-packs then you could carry 3

[tajm611]

We're having the reverse issue.

So what's the point of the useless information you gave? It neither answers the question nor does anyone care.

[JayDudley]

N2DFire..You da man....I should have thought of that.

[LaFireEducator]

So what's the point of the useless information you gave? It neither answers the question nor does anyone care.

So I guess you have been appointed forum guru, huh?

[AbduNur]

On my Truck, we carry only a Fire Service chain saw and a Partner K12 with an all purpose blade. We prefer to vent residential roofs with hand tools and we use the K12 for commerical roofs. So for downed tree limbs or to clear debris, we would just grab our standard chain saw.

[Rescue101]

Engine-Vent Master Chain Saw

Squad (as in support/manpower unit)- Two Poulan Tree Saws

Tower-3 Cutters Edge Vent Saws, 1 Vent Master Saw, 1 Partner K 750 with carbide blade, 1 Stihl Rotary Saw with abrasive blade, 1 Partner K 650 with abrasive blade, 1 small McCullah Rotary Saw with abrasive blades

Whaaaat? NO WARTHOG? WTF? Small Muckaluck? Yup HAD one of those long long ago. Replaced with a TS550 Stihl. Hehe T.C.

[happyvalleyff]

Nope no warthog blade.

[Rescue101]

Nope no warthog blade.

LOVE our Warthog.Was three years convincing the Boss to buy it,try to pry it out of his fingers NOW. GREAT blade! T.C.

[JakeT59]

My department runs with one saw per engine which consist of just a 18" STIL for ventilation and utility purposes.

[happyvalleyff]

Honestly Rescue101 never had a chance to play with the Warthog blade. Seen alot of advertisements for it and very good endorsements on here though. We use just the standard Fire Hooks Unlimited blade on ours the 24 tooth one.

[Rescue101]

I L O V E my Warthog! Best composite/standard roofing blade we've ever owned. IF you buy one make sure you have a GOOD (950+cc)powerhead to run it. T.C.

[happyvalleyff]

I would love to give it a shot if I ever had the opportunity to play with one. Unfortunately we don't have anything bigger then a 750 as we use the rotary saws for FE and chain saws almost exclusively for roof ventilation.

[Truck4bighouse]

A lot of the trucks in DC carry an additional rescue saw, (all purpose blade).
This way we can carry a saw on each side of the apparatus. This serves two purposes, we can get to the saw that much quicker to cut bars in the event we have someone trapped and if we are in an alley or tight spot and we can't get to that compartment we always have the second saw. Bear in mind the second saw is supplied by the rank and file, not the dept...

[N2DFire]

LOVE our Warthog.Was three years convincing the Boss to buy it,try to pry it out of his fingers NOW. GREAT blade! T.C.

O.K. - So I'll come back & actually contribute a little this time.

Most of the FD's in my county carry just chain saws. We have some designated for roof/vent work & some for "logging". We are a VERY rural county and during sever weather we will have to cut our way in (and out) of incidents. These see a lot of use on brush fires as well. Seldom do we have to fell anything but a lot of the time it's quicker for a saw operator to lead the line crew and cut a path thru fallen timber than is is to try and cut a line around it.

A couple Dept's have rotary saws of various "flavors" and only one I know of has a Warthog blade on theirs. It doesn't see much use - not sure why other that it looks different than the chain saws our country boys are used to and the fact that being rural we don't fight a lot of fires in structures that are still upright.

However - on the occasions when it has been used - they LOVE it! That dept happens to be my old volly dept & the saw / blade combo was one I picked out for one of our AFG grants. It's on a 750 partner and I can't even begin to imagine what a beast it would be on a 950 saw.

[MemphisE34a]

Personally, I always carry just one.