A Halligan bar is a special forcible entry

Forcible entry

Forcible entry is defined by Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law as the unlawful taking of possession of real property by force or threats of force or unlawful entry into or onto another's property, especially when accompanied by force....

 tool commonly used by firefighter

Firefighter

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 and law enforcement

Police

The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...

. It was designed by and named after Hugh Halligan, a First Deputy Fire Chief

Fire chief

Fire Chief is a top executive rank or commanding officer in a fire department, either elected or appointed...

 in the New York City Fire Department

New York City Fire Department

The New York City Fire Department or the Fire Department of the City of New York has the responsibility for protecting the citizens and property of New York City's five boroughs from fires and fire hazards, providing emergency medical services, technical rescue as well as providing first response...

, in 1948. While the tool was developed by a Deputy Chief of the New York City Fire Department, the department did not initially purchase it because of a perceived conflict of interest in buying from a member of the department. The City of Boston Fire Department was the first major customer of the tool, purchasing one for every fire company in their city. The tool was popular enough that members of New York ladder companies went out and bought it with their own money until the department ultimately decided to purchase the tool.

The Halligan is based on the earlier Kelly tool

Kelly tool

Not to be confused with K-tool.The Kelly tool is a tool used in fire and rescue service for forcible entry and other prying and striking tasks. The predecessor of the Halligan bar, it has largely been superseded by the latter, but still sees some use....

. The Halligan is a multipurpose tool for prying

Crowbar (tool)

A crowbar, a wrecking bar, pry bar, or prybar, or sometimes a prise bar or prisebar, and more informally a jimmy, jimmy bar, jemmy or gooseneck is a tool consisting of a metal bar with a single curved end and flattened points, often with a small fissure on one or both ends for removing nails...

, twisting, punching, or striking. It consists of a claw (or fork), a blade (wedge or adze), and a tapered pick, which is especially useful in quickly breaching many types of locked doors. Either the adze

Adze

An adze is a tool used for smoothing or carving rough-cut wood in hand woodworking. Generally, the user stands astride a board or log and swings the adze downwards towards his feet, chipping off pieces of wood, moving backwards as they go and leaving a relatively smooth surface behind...

 end or fork end of the tool can be used to break through the latch of a swinging door by forcing the tool between the door

Door

A door is a movable structure used to open and close off an entrance, typically consisting of a panel that swings on hinges or that slides or rotates inside of a space....

 and door jamb

Door jamb

A doorjamb is the vertical portion of the frame onto which a door is secured. The jamb bears the weight of the door through its hinges, and most types of door latches and deadbolts extend into a recess in the doorjamb when engaged, making the "true" and strength of the doorjambs vitally important...

 and prying the two apart, striking it with another Halligan, a Denver tool

Denver tool

The TNT Tool is a multi-purpose tool used by firefighters, emergency personnel, and law enforcement officers to gain forcible entry to buildings, automobiles, etc. during emergency situations. It is a combination axe, sledgehammer, pry tool, ram, and D-handle pull tool...

, a sledgehammer

Sledgehammer

A sledgehammer is a tool consisting of a large, flat head attached to a lever . The head is typically made of metal. The sledgehammer can apply more impulse than other hammers, due to its large size. Along with the mallet, it shares the ability to distribute force over a wide area...

 or a flat-head axe

Axe

The axe, or ax, is an implement that has been used for millennia to shape, split and cut wood; to harvest timber; as a weapon; and as a ceremonial or heraldic symbol...

. The pick can be placed into the shackle (or eye) of a padlock

Padlock

Padlocks are portable locks used to protect against theft, vandalism, sabotage, unauthorized use, and harm. They are designed to protect against some degree of forced and surreptitious entry.- History :...

 or hasp and twisted or pried to break it free. It can also be driven into a roof to provide a foothold for firefighters engaged in vertical ventilation. Using a K-tool

K-tool

The K-tool is a tool used by many fire departments for forcible entry. It is used in conjunction with a Halligan bar and a flat-headed axe or maul to remove a cylinder lock...

 and the adze end, a lock cylinder can easily be pulled. The fork end is routinely used to shut off gas meter

Gas meter

A gas meter is used to measure the volume of fuel gases such as natural gas and propane. Gas meters are used at residential, commercial, and industrial buildings that consume fuel gas supplied by a gas utility. Gases are more difficult to measure than liquids, as measured volumes are highly...

 valves. There are many other uses of the Halligan tool, including vehicle extrication

Vehicle extrication

Vehicle extrication is the process of removing the vehicle from around a person that has been involved in a motor vehicle accident, when conventional means of exit are impossible or unadvisable. A delicate approach is needed to minimize injury to the victim during the extrication...

 and opening of walls.

One variant of the Halligan has a heavy sliding collar on the shaft. Once the prying end of the tool is wedged into position, the sliding 'hammer' is used to force the wedge, allowing for proper seating before prying. The adze end is also assisted by using the sliding hammer to generate forced traction on a hooked cylinder. Another variant has an end that resembles a lever-type can opener, used for making large holes for access or ventilation in sheet metal.

The true Halligan is a forged tool, of one piece construction, available in a number of lengths (typically 18 to 54 inches (45.7 to 137 cm)), and of various materials, including titanium

Titanium

Titanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. It has a low density and is a strong, lustrous, corrosion-resistant transition metal with a silver color....

, Beryllium copper

Beryllium copper

Beryllium copper , also known as copper beryllium, beryllium bronze and spring copper, is a copper alloy with 0.5—3% beryllium and sometimes with other alloying elements. Beryllium copper combines high strength with non-magnetic and non-sparking qualities. It has excellent metalworking, forming...

 or stainless steel

Stainless steel

In metallurgy, stainless steel, also known as inox steel or inox from French "inoxydable", is defined as a steel alloy with a minimum of 10.5 or 11% chromium content by mass....

. Carrying straps or rings can be found. The 18-inch Halligan is often referred to as an officer's tool.

A Halligan bar and a flathead axe

Axe

The axe, or ax, is an implement that has been used for millennia to shape, split and cut wood; to harvest timber; as a weapon; and as a ceremonial or heraldic symbol...

 can be joined together (and partially interlocked, head-to-toe) to form what is known as a married set or set of irons — a particularly useful combination.

They are standard equipment for fire departments worldwide.

Note: The Halligan bar shown to the right is made of multiple pieces of metal that are pinned together at the "mating points". Some consider this not to be a true Halligan, and some firefighters call it a "hooligan" tool.

Additional reading

• Essentials of Fire Fighting
  Essentials of Fire Fighting
  Essentials of Fire Fighting is a fire service training manual produced by Fire Protection Publications and the International Fire Service Training Association . Fire Protection Publications is a department of the College of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology a division within Oklahoma...
  
  ; Hall, Richard and Adams, Barbara, eds.; 4th Ed., 1998: Board of Regents, Oklahoma State University. ISBN 0-87939-049-2
• FDNY Forcible Entry Reference Guide, Techniques and Procedures