I had the opportunity to use my catapult v2 under pretty extreme conditions last night and it came through with flying colors. I am hoping no one minds my story and finds the usage interesting.
Our state was hit with a harsh winter storms with over a foot and a half of snow and temperatures in the single digits.
Our fire department was sent to multiple alarms as the roads were horrible, and many of the businesses had alarms with issues such as burst pipes, fire alarms going off, or snow on the roofs.
One call had us respond to an alarm at an abandoned printing company. It is a huge facility with long wide open spaces, and high metal beamed roofs. After entering the building it was our job to search for the alarm condition and make sure there are no fires or water issues. Our crew did our search using our normal search lighting. A steamlight survivor with an incandescent bulb. The light works well for cutting through smoke in a residential home, but for search purposes, I found it lacking for the task.
After the call cleared we found ourselves trying to navigate the unplowed roads back to the station. While attempting to make it up a half mile long hill, our fire truck just could not make it up. As the officer I decided to back the truck back down the hill, and try a different route. I had the firefighters stationed both in front and behind the vehicle and the truck inched back down the hill. The firefighters used their Survivor's to help light the way, and to flash any approaching cars or plows so they knew they couldn't make it up the hill and past the fire truck. Again I found the Streamlight's brightness and usefulness lacking for this task.
Once we made it back to the station, it was not more than 5 minutes before the next call came in. At the time, I was changing out the batteries to my Catapult. On a whim I decided to grab it and bring it along for the call. A great decision.
The alarm was and activated fire alarm in a large facility in the industrial section that makes, prints and cuts cardboard boxes. The facility is two large connected plants with access off of two main roads.
Upon arrival I gave my sizeup, nothing initially showing accept some steam coming off the top of the building. A tow truck operator told us he works there and that there was a large spill towards the back red in color.
When I went around the back to investigate the spill I used my Catapult for the first time. It was a perfect choice for the task quickly lighting up the area from a far safe distance it provided a great throw, but also a nice large bright area of light. We determined that the red spill was printers ink flowing with water from inside the building. It seems we had a major overflow issue. At the time I was assuming pipes has possibly burst in the building.
As we made our way around the building the keyholder had not yet arrived, and we decided we could no longer wait. We found an outward swinging metal door on the backside of the building. We decided we were going to gain access there, and I tucked my catapult under my arm, and forced the door open using a halligan bar. ( like a pry bar)
The inside of the building was pitch black. The alarm was still sounding, so the combination of the sound and darkness was disorientating. I immediately switched on my catapult. It was incredible. A perfect light for the situation immediately lighting the area up so that I could determine where I was and what needed to be done. The building had many long tight corridors with high ceilings , but also two huge large long rooms filled with industrial machines, and large conveyor belts. The catapult was not only bright but had incredible throw allowing me to see extremely far ahead and high into the ceiling with clarity. Compared with the beams and brightness of the other firefighters Streamlight Survivors, at least for this task, their lights looked like toy lights, and were barely adequate.
As we continued with our search, I alternated using my light to see what was straight ahead and flashing it far ahead towards the ceiling. I immediately saw steam in my beam pattern toward the ceiling about a couple hundred yards ahead. As we turned the corner my light immediately showed that the roof had a major cave in and collapse. I immediately radioed dispatch that we had a roof collapse, but our radios would not transmit clearly in the building and after multiple attempts to update the outside firefighters of the collapse, we evacuated the building with my now new best friend the Catapult lighting the way. Once outside, we resent our transmission of the collapse.
The catapult then spent the next hour lighting the way for myself and my guys and we circled the building in extremely cold weather shoveling snow, and using bolt cutters to cut the chains securing over 10 water valves, as we needed to shut the water off.
This light was initially intended as a toy. I figured I would use it a couple of times to walk the dog and to play around with it. To me this was a light to take care of, kind of a shelf queen. Not anymore. This is one serious tool, and I would be doing myself and the light a grave injustice not letting it do its job and shine.
I would highly recommend this light. It is sturdy and durable. Performed exceptionally well in a cold, fairly harsh environment. I believe it gave me extra time and distance to spot the roof collapse, and time and distance to me, offers my guys and me extra safety.
Anyway thats my story. Not exactly a conventional review, but I wanted to share, as I really enjoyed using this light.
Thanks.
Our state was hit with a harsh winter storms with over a foot and a half of snow and temperatures in the single digits.
Our fire department was sent to multiple alarms as the roads were horrible, and many of the businesses had alarms with issues such as burst pipes, fire alarms going off, or snow on the roofs.
One call had us respond to an alarm at an abandoned printing company. It is a huge facility with long wide open spaces, and high metal beamed roofs. After entering the building it was our job to search for the alarm condition and make sure there are no fires or water issues. Our crew did our search using our normal search lighting. A steamlight survivor with an incandescent bulb. The light works well for cutting through smoke in a residential home, but for search purposes, I found it lacking for the task.
After the call cleared we found ourselves trying to navigate the unplowed roads back to the station. While attempting to make it up a half mile long hill, our fire truck just could not make it up. As the officer I decided to back the truck back down the hill, and try a different route. I had the firefighters stationed both in front and behind the vehicle and the truck inched back down the hill. The firefighters used their Survivor's to help light the way, and to flash any approaching cars or plows so they knew they couldn't make it up the hill and past the fire truck. Again I found the Streamlight's brightness and usefulness lacking for this task.
Once we made it back to the station, it was not more than 5 minutes before the next call came in. At the time, I was changing out the batteries to my Catapult. On a whim I decided to grab it and bring it along for the call. A great decision.
The alarm was and activated fire alarm in a large facility in the industrial section that makes, prints and cuts cardboard boxes. The facility is two large connected plants with access off of two main roads.
Upon arrival I gave my sizeup, nothing initially showing accept some steam coming off the top of the building. A tow truck operator told us he works there and that there was a large spill towards the back red in color.
When I went around the back to investigate the spill I used my Catapult for the first time. It was a perfect choice for the task quickly lighting up the area from a far safe distance it provided a great throw, but also a nice large bright area of light. We determined that the red spill was printers ink flowing with water from inside the building. It seems we had a major overflow issue. At the time I was assuming pipes has possibly burst in the building.
As we made our way around the building the keyholder had not yet arrived, and we decided we could no longer wait. We found an outward swinging metal door on the backside of the building. We decided we were going to gain access there, and I tucked my catapult under my arm, and forced the door open using a halligan bar. ( like a pry bar)
The inside of the building was pitch black. The alarm was still sounding, so the combination of the sound and darkness was disorientating. I immediately switched on my catapult. It was incredible. A perfect light for the situation immediately lighting the area up so that I could determine where I was and what needed to be done. The building had many long tight corridors with high ceilings , but also two huge large long rooms filled with industrial machines, and large conveyor belts. The catapult was not only bright but had incredible throw allowing me to see extremely far ahead and high into the ceiling with clarity. Compared with the beams and brightness of the other firefighters Streamlight Survivors, at least for this task, their lights looked like toy lights, and were barely adequate.
As we continued with our search, I alternated using my light to see what was straight ahead and flashing it far ahead towards the ceiling. I immediately saw steam in my beam pattern toward the ceiling about a couple hundred yards ahead. As we turned the corner my light immediately showed that the roof had a major cave in and collapse. I immediately radioed dispatch that we had a roof collapse, but our radios would not transmit clearly in the building and after multiple attempts to update the outside firefighters of the collapse, we evacuated the building with my now new best friend the Catapult lighting the way. Once outside, we resent our transmission of the collapse.
The catapult then spent the next hour lighting the way for myself and my guys and we circled the building in extremely cold weather shoveling snow, and using bolt cutters to cut the chains securing over 10 water valves, as we needed to shut the water off.
This light was initially intended as a toy. I figured I would use it a couple of times to walk the dog and to play around with it. To me this was a light to take care of, kind of a shelf queen. Not anymore. This is one serious tool, and I would be doing myself and the light a grave injustice not letting it do its job and shine.
I would highly recommend this light. It is sturdy and durable. Performed exceptionally well in a cold, fairly harsh environment. I believe it gave me extra time and distance to spot the roof collapse, and time and distance to me, offers my guys and me extra safety.
Anyway thats my story. Not exactly a conventional review, but I wanted to share, as I really enjoyed using this light.
Thanks.
