Firemen's pole
Encyclopedia
A fireman's pole is a wood
en pole or a metal
tube or pipe installed between floor
s in fire station
s, allowing firefighters responding to an alarm to quickly descend to the ground floor faster than by using a standard staircase.
The device was invented in the 1870s by David Kenyon, a resident of Chicago, Illinois, although it is often incorrectly credited to the Boston Fire Department
.
s usually remain above the ground floor of fire stations until they receive a call for help
, after which they have to descend, don their firefighting gear, and board the fire engine as quickly as possible. Until 1878, spiral staircases
or sliding chutes were common, but not particularly fast. Fire houses were also equipped with spiral staircases so the horses would not try to climb the stairs into the living quarters. The fireman's pole allows firefighters to move down much more quickly, although it is not suitable for climbing up. The pole is attached to the ground floor, goes through a hole in the ceiling
, and is attached as well to the ceiling of the floor above. In order to use a pole, a firefighter must put his/her arms around the pole, step into the hole, and use his/her legs to control the speed of the descent, somewhat similar to the technique used for fast-roping
.
, the floor above being the floor for recreation
and sleep
ing, and the top floor being the hayloft
which was used to store the winter supply of hay
for the fire engines' horses. During transport, the hay was secured to a wagon using a wooden binding pole, which was stored in the hayloft when not in use. Firefighter George Reid slid down the pole to respond to a call for help once, which inspired Captain
David Kenyon to create a permanent pole.
In 1878 he convinced the Chief of Department to make the necessary hole in the building and install the pole, after agreeing to pay for any necessary maintenance
. The Company crafted a pole out of a Georgia pine
beam by shaving and sanding it into a 3" diameter pole which they gave several coats of varnish
and a coat of paraffin
.
After being the target of many jokes, people realized Company 21 was usually the first company to arrive when called, especially at night
, and the Chief of Department ordered the poles to be installed in all Chicago fire stations. In 1880 the first brass
pole was installed in the Boston Fire Department, and the poles became standard equipment all over the United States
.
s can occur due to friction
against the pole.
It is possible to make slide poles safer. Cushions can be placed around the base of the pole, to soften the landing. Other safety features include railings, baskets or closets that surround part of the opening, weight-activated doors that open only when weight is applied to the pole itself to prevents accidental falls, and exhaust control systems that prevent fumes from the apparatus bay coming into the living quarters,.
Despite the strong tradition and time advantage of slide poles, the National Fire Protection Association
has called for the removal of all poles from fire stations due to safety hazards. Many cities have removed poles from their stations, but some new multilevel fire stations include slide poles with appropriate safety features.
It is the policy of the New Zealand Fire Service
that existing poles should not be used, and that no newly-constructed stations shall have them. As a result, most new fire stations are designed and built on a single level. In some older stations, particularly historic ones built on three levels, firefighters on the top floor will still use the pole because of the significant delay associated with taking the stairs.
Firepoles are seen in popular films, including Ghostbusters
and Bridget Jones's Diary
feature, and in the Batman
1960s TV series, where they appear in Batman
's Wayne Manor
as access to the Batcave
below. In the Korean sitcom High Kick!
, Lee Min Yong's room, which is a modified storeroom, is connected with the rest of the house by the fireman's pole.
Some airbases in Germany were also equipped with firemen's poles to expedite travel from the second-floor ready rooms to their aircraft in the event of a scramble. The military also uses a similar sliding descent, known as fast-roping
, to quickly descend from helicopters on large-diameter ropes. (Not to be confused with rappelling.)
Sliding poles are part of many children's playground
s.
Firemen's poles are also major gameplay
elements in some video games, including Montezuma's Revenge
and the second Commander Keen
trilogy
.
Smaller poles are used for pole dancing
in general and in strip club
s.
Wood
Wood is a hard, fibrous tissue found in many trees. It has been used for hundreds of thousands of years for both fuel and as a construction material. It is an organic material, a natural composite of cellulose fibers embedded in a matrix of lignin which resists compression...
en pole or a metal
Metal
A metal , is an element, compound, or alloy that is a good conductor of both electricity and heat. Metals are usually malleable and shiny, that is they reflect most of incident light...
tube or pipe installed between floor
Floor
A floor is the walking surface of a room or vehicle. Floors vary from simple dirt in a cave to many-layered surfaces using modern technology...
s in fire station
Fire station
A fire station is a structure or other area set aside for storage of firefighting apparatus , personal protective equipment, fire hose, fire extinguishers, and other fire extinguishing equipment...
s, allowing firefighters responding to an alarm to quickly descend to the ground floor faster than by using a standard staircase.
The device was invented in the 1870s by David Kenyon, a resident of Chicago, Illinois, although it is often incorrectly credited to the Boston Fire Department
Boston Fire Department
The Boston Fire Department provides fire protection services for Boston, Massachusetts, USA. In addition to fire protection, the Boston Fire department also provides basic emergency medical services and respond to a variety of emergencies such as, but not limited to, motor vehicle accidents,...
.
Overview
FirefighterFirefighter
Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
s usually remain above the ground floor of fire stations until they receive a call for help
Call for Help
Call for Help, also known as CFH, was a computer-themed television program that first aired exclusively on TechTV , a cable and satellite television network focused on technology, and then aired on G4techTV Canada and the HOW TO Channel in Australia...
, after which they have to descend, don their firefighting gear, and board the fire engine as quickly as possible. Until 1878, spiral staircases
Stairway
Stairway, staircase, stairwell, flight of stairs, or simply stairs are names for a construction designed to bridge a large vertical distance by dividing it into smaller vertical distances, called steps...
or sliding chutes were common, but not particularly fast. Fire houses were also equipped with spiral staircases so the horses would not try to climb the stairs into the living quarters. The fireman's pole allows firefighters to move down much more quickly, although it is not suitable for climbing up. The pole is attached to the ground floor, goes through a hole in the ceiling
Ceiling
A ceiling is an overhead interior surface that covers the upper limit of a room. It is generally not a structural element, but a finished surface concealing the underside of the floor or roof structure above....
, and is attached as well to the ceiling of the floor above. In order to use a pole, a firefighter must put his/her arms around the pole, step into the hole, and use his/her legs to control the speed of the descent, somewhat similar to the technique used for fast-roping
Fast-roping
Fast-roping, sometimes known as Fast Rope Insertion Extraction System , is a technique for descending a thick rope. It is useful for deploying troops from a helicopter in places where the helicopter itself cannot touch down. First developed by the British with UK rope manufacturer Marlow Ropes,...
.
History
Capt. David B. Kenyon of Chicago's Engine Company No. 21 worked in a three-story fire station; the ground floor containing the firefighting equipmentGlossary of firefighting equipment
- A :* Adapter: plumbing accessories for connecting hoses and pipes of incompatible diameter, thread, or gender. See also reducer, increaser, double male, double female, water thief. May contain combinations, such as a double-female reducer...
, the floor above being the floor for recreation
Recreation
Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasure and are considered to be "fun"...
and sleep
Sleep
Sleep is a naturally recurring state characterized by reduced or absent consciousness, relatively suspended sensory activity, and inactivity of nearly all voluntary muscles. It is distinguished from quiet wakefulness by a decreased ability to react to stimuli, and is more easily reversible than...
ing, and the top floor being the hayloft
Loft
A loft can be an upper story or attic in a building, directly under the roof. Alternatively, a loft apartment refers to large adaptable open space, often converted for residential use from some other use, often light industrial...
which was used to store the winter supply of hay
Hay
Hay is grass, legumes or other herbaceous plants that have been cut, dried, and stored for use as animal fodder, particularly for grazing livestock such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep. Hay is also fed to pets such as rabbits and guinea pigs...
for the fire engines' horses. During transport, the hay was secured to a wagon using a wooden binding pole, which was stored in the hayloft when not in use. Firefighter George Reid slid down the pole to respond to a call for help once, which inspired Captain
Fire captain
Captain is a rank in various fire services.In most American and Canadian fire services, a captain ranks above a lieutenant and below a Battalion Chief. This varies, though, between departments – in the Boston Fire Department, the captain is the officer in overall charge of a fire company...
David Kenyon to create a permanent pole.
In 1878 he convinced the Chief of Department to make the necessary hole in the building and install the pole, after agreeing to pay for any necessary maintenance
Maintenance, Repair and Operations
Maintenance, repair, and operations or maintenance, repair, and overhaul involves fixing any sort of mechanical or electrical device should it become out of order or broken...
. The Company crafted a pole out of a Georgia pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
beam by shaving and sanding it into a 3" diameter pole which they gave several coats of varnish
Varnish
Varnish is a transparent, hard, protective finish or film primarily used in wood finishing but also for other materials. Varnish is traditionally a combination of a drying oil, a resin, and a thinner or solvent. Varnish finishes are usually glossy but may be designed to produce satin or semi-gloss...
and a coat of paraffin
Paraffin
In chemistry, paraffin is a term that can be used synonymously with "alkane", indicating hydrocarbons with the general formula CnH2n+2. Paraffin wax refers to a mixture of alkanes that falls within the 20 ≤ n ≤ 40 range; they are found in the solid state at room temperature and begin to enter the...
.
After being the target of many jokes, people realized Company 21 was usually the first company to arrive when called, especially at night
Night
Night or nighttime is the period of time when the sun is below the horizon. This occurs after dusk. The opposite of night is day...
, and the Chief of Department ordered the poles to be installed in all Chicago fire stations. In 1880 the first brass
Brass
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties.In comparison, bronze is principally an alloy of copper and tin...
pole was installed in the Boston Fire Department, and the poles became standard equipment all over the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Safety issues
There are a few safety issues: losing grip on the pole can result in falling from a large height; the firefighter may hit an object such as a door extending from a truck; poor speed control can result in injured or even broken legs upon impact with the floor; and burnFriction burn
A friction burn is a form of abrasion caused by friction when a person's skin rubs against a surface. It may also be referred to as "skinning", "chafing," or called by the surface which caused the burn...
s can occur due to friction
Friction
Friction is the force resisting the relative motion of solid surfaces, fluid layers, and/or material elements sliding against each other. There are several types of friction:...
against the pole.
It is possible to make slide poles safer. Cushions can be placed around the base of the pole, to soften the landing. Other safety features include railings, baskets or closets that surround part of the opening, weight-activated doors that open only when weight is applied to the pole itself to prevents accidental falls, and exhaust control systems that prevent fumes from the apparatus bay coming into the living quarters,.
Despite the strong tradition and time advantage of slide poles, the National Fire Protection Association
National Fire Protection Association
The National Fire Protection Association is a United States trade association that creates and maintains private, copywrited, standards and codes for usage and adoption by local governments...
has called for the removal of all poles from fire stations due to safety hazards. Many cities have removed poles from their stations, but some new multilevel fire stations include slide poles with appropriate safety features.
It is the policy of the New Zealand Fire Service
New Zealand Fire Service
The New Zealand Fire Service is New Zealand's national fire fighting body. While its founding legislation, the Fire Service Act 1975, only provides for this role, the organisation has assumed responsibility for several other areas.-Strategic Direction:The New Zealand Fire Service has defined for...
that existing poles should not be used, and that no newly-constructed stations shall have them. As a result, most new fire stations are designed and built on a single level. In some older stations, particularly historic ones built on three levels, firefighters on the top floor will still use the pole because of the significant delay associated with taking the stairs.
Other uses
Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters is a 1984 American science fiction comedy film directed by Ivan Reitman and written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. The film stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, and Rick Moranis and follows three eccentric parapsychologists in New York City, who start a...
and Bridget Jones's Diary
Bridget Jones's Diary (film)
Bridget Jones's Diary is a 2001 British romantic comedy film based on Helen Fielding's novel of the same name. The adaptation stars Renée Zellweger as Bridget, Hugh Grant as the caddish Daniel Cleaver, and Colin Firth as Bridget's "true love", Mark Darcy...
feature, and in the Batman
Batman (TV series)
Batman is an American television series, based on the DC comic book character of the same name. It stars Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin — two crime-fighting heroes who defend Gotham City. It aired on the American Broadcasting Company network for three seasons from January 12, 1966 to...
1960s TV series, where they appear in Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
's Wayne Manor
Wayne Manor
In DC Comics, Wayne Manor is a fictional setting, the personal residence of Bruce Wayne, who is also Batman. The residence is typically depicted as a huge stately mansion on grounds outside Gotham City, maintained by the Wayne family's servant, Alfred Pennyworth...
as access to the Batcave
Batcave
The Batcave is the secret headquarters of fictional DC Comics superhero Batman, the alternate identity of playboy Bruce Wayne, consisting of a series of subterranean caves beneath his residence, Wayne Manor.-Publication history:...
below. In the Korean sitcom High Kick!
High Kick!
High Kick! was a popular South Korean situation comedy revolving around the life of the Lee family, taking place in Seoul at the same time as the broadcast . The title of the show "High Kick!" has several implications, one of which is the oft-depicted high kicks of Yoon-ho, one of the main...
, Lee Min Yong's room, which is a modified storeroom, is connected with the rest of the house by the fireman's pole.
Some airbases in Germany were also equipped with firemen's poles to expedite travel from the second-floor ready rooms to their aircraft in the event of a scramble. The military also uses a similar sliding descent, known as fast-roping
Fast-roping
Fast-roping, sometimes known as Fast Rope Insertion Extraction System , is a technique for descending a thick rope. It is useful for deploying troops from a helicopter in places where the helicopter itself cannot touch down. First developed by the British with UK rope manufacturer Marlow Ropes,...
, to quickly descend from helicopters on large-diameter ropes. (Not to be confused with rappelling.)
Sliding poles are part of many children's playground
Playground
A playground or play area is a place with a specific design for children be able to play there. It may be indoors but is typically outdoors...
s.
Firemen's poles are also major gameplay
Gameplay
Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game, and in particular with video games. Gameplay is the pattern defined through the game rules, connection between player and the game, challenges and overcoming them, plot and player's connection with it...
elements in some video games, including Montezuma's Revenge
Montezuma's Revenge (video game)
Montezuma's Revenge is a video game for Atari home computers, Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Apple II, ColecoVision, Commodore 64, IBM PC, Sega Master System, and ZX Spectrum . It was created by Robert Jaeger and published in 1984 by Parker Brothers. The game's title references a colloquial American...
and the second Commander Keen
Commander Keen
Commander Keen is a series of video games developed by id Software in the early 1990s. The series focuses on the adventures of Billy Blaze, an 8-year old boy who travels through space and assumes the identity "Commander Keen". The series was successful at replicating the side-scrolling action of...
trilogy
Trilogy
A trilogy is a set of three works of art that are connected, and that can be seen either as a single work or as three individual works. They are commonly found in literature, film, or video games...
.
Smaller poles are used for pole dancing
Pole dance
Pole dance is a form of performing art, a combination of dance and gymnastics. It involves dancing and performing acrobatic tricks with a vertical pole and is an increasingly popular form of fitness and dance, practised by many enthusiasts in gyms or dedicated dance studios...
in general and in strip club
Strip club
A strip club is an adult entertainment venue in which striptease or other erotic or exotic dance is regularly performed. Strip clubs typically adopt a nightclub or bar style, but can also adopt a theatre or cabaret-style....
s.