Devil’s Claw Pike Pole

By BRIAN ARNOLD

In 2007, my fellow crew member, Corporal Dennis Paige, brought to me a variation of a traditional pike pole that he called a Devil’s Claw. This new tool was invented because of a particularly difficult fire we had previously encountered. The homeowner of the fire building had placed traditional gypsum board over older plaster and lathe on the walls and ceiling. When we arrived on scene, crews encountered a fast moving attic fire with heavy smoke, and heat was already pushing into the home’s interior. The ceiling in the home needed to be pulled quickly to get ahead of the fire. Crews worked extremely hard with traditional pike poles to gain access to the attic, but progress was anything but rapid. Penetrating the gypsum board and plaster and lathe was difficult at best, and once a purchase hole was made, the pike pole’s small profile did little to enlarge the hole with each pull. The fire was eventually contained.

Photos by author.

As firefighters often do, they began discussions on how to better access ceilings and walls with traditional tools and the limitations of such tools. Paige took this discussion to heart and began to build a better “mousetrap” or, in this case, a better pike pole. Paige’s Devil’s Claw went through several changes in design until, after 18 months of research, firefighter testing, and trial by fire, he settled on the best product I’ve seen to replace the traditional pike pole.

The Devil’s Claw appears to be a cross between a pike pole and a harpoon. The head of the tool is 12 inches long and can be attached to a variety of shafts, ranging from round fiberglass with or without D handles to one-inch round steel tubing. Lengths are available from four to eight feet. The Devil’s Claw’s pointed tip makes the tool excellent for piercing gypsum board, plaster and lathe, wood paneling, and other coverings. Once the cover was penetrated, the dual pikes extending downward from the point are separated approximately three inches, which enables the user to pull down two to three times the size of the area covered by a traditional pike pole. Larger holes created by the head reduce firefighter fatigue and increase the speed of gaining access to hidden fires. The larger profile of the head makes short work of gypsum board; lathe comes down in large chunks instead of the tiny pieces as with a traditional pike pole.

The 4½-inch gap between the ends of the pikes and the base of the tool head, combined with the finished points of the pikes, enable the Devil’s Claw to pull door trim and window casing on other boards that need removal when you are searching for hidden fire. The Devil’s Claw is a durable tool that can be fitted with a lightweight fiberglass handle or, for a much heavier tool, a steel handle, which would be suitable as a window anchor in a bailout situation.

● BRIAN ARNOLD is a 25-year fire service veteran serving the Oklahoma City (OK) Fire Department on Engine 18A. He also serves as the assistant coordinator for the EOC Technology Center Fire Training Program. He is a contributing author to Fire Engineering and an FDIC H.O.T. instructor and classroom presenter and teaches fire-related classes around the country.