Issue link: https://let.epubxp.com/i/237213
son the Liberator is about 1,200. Knock, knock Now you're at the locked door. Are you really going to kick it in or grab a screwdriver? Roughly three years ago, Broco had the opportunity to attend an FBI breachers training event. One coordinator shared a hand-made pry bar created from the hostage rescue team—originally from a NYPD Emergency Services Unit concept. The design took a basic pry bar and glued on paracord for grip. Broco found suppliers for a cold drawn steel (hardened to 43-47 RC), a padded foam grip, as well as a 1/8inch diameter paracord, then assembles in house: meet the Jimmy pry bar. It's the heat-treating that pushes the Jimmy's strength. In one test, the company took a hydraulic press to bend the 25-degree angled-end straight. It took 400 pounds of pressure, then sprang back to nearly the original angle, yet still weighs 7.5 ounces. This lightweight feature proved advantageous to one U.S. Marshal responding at the Navyyard shooting. Reportedly the Jimmy was utilized for over 100 wooden office, as well as metal on metal, doors. The search took roughly six hours while a full-size Halligan runs roughly over five pounds. Decades before Broco met the FBI's homemade pry bar, their underwater exothermic torches had started being used for cutting tank track for repair—imagine the same tool on the door in your way. Exothermic torches took a fraction of time, about 30 minutes down to 6. These run about 10,000 degrees F, and a dramatically shorter pre-heat allows users to cut sooner, if not immediately. An oxygen/acetylene set runs at about 4,800 to 5,000 degrees F. The company uses strictly oxygen. "In our case," says Tom Joos, vice president sales and marketing at Broco, "the fuel itself is the steel-based recipe so you got metal on fire, which puts out a higher temperature." Using oxygen gas avoids adding additional noxious fumes, however there still could be danger in the air based on what you're cutting. "Never use a torch to cut a hollow-core steel door, because it may have foam in it," warns Joos. "We teach n n At left, pouring the Jersey Tactical Claw cast. Below, Tactical Electronics Under the Door camera. n n n Central Command Post Mobile Command Vehicles Squad Cars Handheld Receivers Airborne Repeat 908.852.3700 www.imt-government.com Circle 97 on Reader Service Card