Mike McGuire, Sales & Technical Support at Performance Advantage Company (PAC), discusses how tool mounting impacts efficiency, safety and organisation for fire departments

What’s the most common mistake fire departments make when selecting a tool mounting system?

The most common mistake is an unrealistic expectation of what they should or could be doing in relation to the community they serve and their operational abilities – types of trucks, size of trucks and the tools they need to carry.

Overpacking the truck affects operational capabilities or splits tools among multiple vehicles.

They sometimes don’t prioritise what’s most logical to keep, resulting in items left on the truck for decades.

Sometimes departments place items in multiple vehicles, which reduces continuity and creates confusion.

An example is a project we did years ago with one of our local departments.

They did an excellent job prepping for their new truck: they laid out their tools, had a thorough tool list and identified the new location for everything.

However, they also wanted to include three old car jacks simply because they’d always been on the truck.

When I asked why one member said, “They’ve been on the truck as long as I’ve been here.” It’s also important to remember that older tools might no longer be practical, yet remain out of habit.

So one of the mistakes is not looking forward or having a good consensus in the committee or department about what’s realistic for them and what’s required, then finding that merge.

You can get caught up carrying items you may never use.

Being deliberate about what you carry helps maintain efficiency and ensures the tools actually support your operations.

Delays and safety issues it happen if you need a particular tool but haven’t stored it in an accessible location, or it’s shared between trucks or moved.

When you don’t prioritise which tool you need first or keep it in a logical spot, it causes delays and potential safety issues.

Sometimes that leads to confusion if it’s not where everyone expects it and it can slow down response times.

Departments might waste precious minutes searching for a tool that’s been misplaced or is on another vehicle.

Beyond safety, how does well-designed tool mounting contribute to operational efficiency on the fireground?

Continuity.

This allows crews to move fluidly from step to step and know exactly which tool is first, second and so on.

Properly mounted tools in a consistent location mean that even if I’m new on a shift, I can find a tool in the dark because everything is laid out the same way.

Continuity means that if I’ve worked off a rescue truck before and it’s outfitted the same, I know exactly where each tool is.

This eliminates guesswork and speeds up response times.

Another benefit is safety: when tools are properly secured each time, they won’t fall out of a bracket or onto someone.

It also ensures no one is wrestling with tools in cramped compartments, which can cause injuries.

Overall, continuity in tool mounting boosts efficiency and keeps firefighters safer.

How do PAC’s mounting solutions support quick and instinctive access?

Order is key to quick, instinctive access.

If each tool has a designated place established by the department rather than random choices you won’t have to dig through multiple tools to find the one you need.

You can send someone back to the truck for an item and they’ll know exactly where it is.

That consistency and pattern mean tools won’t be buried or moved around, so firefighters can grab what they need immediately.

If people placed tools at random, they’d have to move items to reach what they want, causing delays.

Organised mounting ensures everything is returned to the same spot, which eliminates confusion and speeds up operations.

Over time, personnel instinctively remember each tool’s location without searching.

How does tool mounting impact vehicle organisation?

Knowing things are in their place is critical.

In a high-stress environment or in the dark, it enables people to grab the right tool quickly.

It also protects the tool and the firefighter and it makes accountability easier.

If a bracket is empty, you know something’s missing before leaving the scene.

This is especially helpful in volunteer departments with multiple agencies responding.

A tool can get picked up by another department and you might not discover it’s gone until much later, unless you see that empty bracket.

Good mounting also helps with maintenance.

When you put a tool away carefully, you might notice a crack or other damage.

If it’s just tossed in the truck, you might not see that until the next call.

What feedback do you hear most often from fire departments?

Departments like how easy the brackets are to use and how organised their trucks become.

At trade shows, if someone’s unsure, we suggest they try it with one tool or one compartment, especially if they’ve just bought a new tool.

When they see that tool stays secure, they usually expand to the entire truck.

They realise the system provides order, consistency and pride—people like having a clean, organised truck with no question about where each tool is.

What advice would you give to fire departments looking to upgrade their tool mounting systems?

Start small: maybe mount one tool or set up one compartment.

You’ve already invested in the truck and the tools, so you want to protect them and keep them ready.

Proper mounting extends tool life and makes it clear where each item belongs.

Overall, good organisation leads to higher performance, efficiency and safety.

That’s what departments are after: a safe, efficient operation where tools are secure and easy to access.

This article was originally published in the March 2025 issue of International Fire & Safety Journal – to read your FREE digital copy, click here.