Here is a helpful tip that makes a simple job even easier. Undoubtedly, every one of us has had to try multiple times to hook up a twist lock electrical connection. Common, admit it, not even at 03:30? …Thought so.
Ryan Skabroud from Chippewa (WI) Fire District sent in his rendition of an idea he originally learned from St. Paul Fire. The idea is to simply mark the odd prong on each connection. A few sharpie markers (black and silver) are all you need. Simply connect (but don’t twist) the plug and draw your mark on both the male and female ends of the plug. Then when its time to make the connection, just line up the marks, and you’ll have success first time, every time.
I bet at 3:30 in the morning, this would be a great help. Good idea!
Great idea, already marked up our pigtails. Thanks for the tip!
Simple yet very effective, thanks great job!
We created a similar solution. In our solution we used reflective decals cut into small slivers, and attached them the same way. The nice thing about them being reflective is the ability to clearly make them out w/ just a little light.
Cool idea!
Thanks for making fire life a little bit easier.
I have a hard enough time connecting them together in the well lit station bay!
Me with plugs at 0’dark thirty is a sad story and even sadder to watch.
Awesome Idea! We used back home in Columbus on our Ladder Companies. Equally as good, reflective paint markings!
great tip. we marked our wires already. we used a yellow paint pen against the black plug makes it stand out more at 0330. thanks great tip. stay safe
hey.. my dept did the same concept except using a stencil and bright orange paint, so there are orange arrows to line up….
Great idea. We also marked the plug for our pinnable waterway on the aerial in a similar manner. Sure helps when you can’t see the pins to line them up.
dang, such common sense…good stuff