Today's Appropriate Technology post is brought to you by one of the oldest human tools.
First produced in the US in 1774, the Ames shovel is still being made today.
Notice there are a LOT of different kinds of shovels out there, and each one is for a specific purpose.
What does a shovel do?
It moves dirt.
"But even tools like shovels are different now. A shovel used to be like this. Shovels have gotten bigger and every year they get more powerful." - Al Gore
Size matters.
So does appropriate use.
How do you use a shovel? I mean, it's easy, just dig, right? Nothing complicated about it.
Or is there?
Each of these parts has a name and a purpose, for a reason.
Our friends in Canada have a detailed guide to shovel use. It's worth a read.
A round point long handled shovel is one of the best possible firefighting tools. It is classified as a 'scraping tool' but can be used for scraping, smothering, beating (tamping), cutting light fuels and throwing dirt.
Remember that the fire triangle is made up of oxygen (air is 21% O2), heat and fuel.
Most of what you can do with a shovel involves separating fuel from the fire. Digging a "fire line" down to "mineral soil" is a great example.
You can also keep the air away from the fire by shoveling soil on top of it. You can literally beat embers or flame out with the flat of the shovel, or cut or lift a flaming bit of vegetation away from the rest.
Our friends at CalFire (in 4205.4.tlp.doc) had this to say:
2. Grip: Firm enough to prevent slippage
b) Strong hand at end of handle
c) Weak hand down handle for leverage
3. Stance
a) Firm, balanced footing
b) Strong side foot back, weak side foot forward
4. Digging
a) Use thighs for leverage
b) Use weak side foot on heel of shovel for digging
5. Smothering
a) With dirt
b) With shovel
6. Scraping
a) Use thighs for leverage
b) Tilt shovel onto cutting edge
7. Cutting
a) Cut small limbs and stems
b) Use forward half of cutting edge
c) Short chopping motion
8. Throwing dirt
a) Over the shoulder
1) For hitting distant or high targets
b) Side arm
1) For scattering dirt as when extinguishing a grass fire
c) Underhand
1) For moving dirt, as to a pile for someone to throw
While you're thinking about it, sharpen that shovel! "Sharpen starting 1 in. (25 mm) from heel on each side of blade until subtle point is formed at blade tip."
The heavy equipment equivalent of a shovel in firefighting is a bulldozer. Dozer operators are crazy.
(picture courtesy San Bernardino Fire)
There's a few lessons here.
1) Just because it looks simple, doesn't mean it is.
2) Just because it looks easy, doesn't mean it is.
3) Some simple things are very useful, if you know how to use them.
References:
- https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/ergonomics/shovel.html
- https://training.nwcg.gov/classes/s130/508%20Files/071231_s130_m6_508.pdf (also how to sharpen a shovel, pp. 10)
- https://www.coloradofirecamp.com/suppression-tactics/fireline-construction.html
- http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agcomm/pubs/for/for67/bmp12.pdf
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_Inconvenient_Truth (bring a grain of salt)
- https://www.nps.gov/articles/wildland-fire-fireline-construction.htm
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