Pike poles were originally used by river drivers to clear log jams, but are now primarily used by firefighters to bring down drywall and detect fires. Modern models are made of lightweight fiberglass and can also be used for ventilation and removing fuel sources.
A pike pole is a tool used by firefighters to bring down drywall when fighting a fire. In the past, the pike pole was used by logging drivers to help clear log jams on a river, although this practice is antiquated. The pole is no longer used in this fashion, except in competitive or educational settings. These poles are sometimes known as fire poles because they are primarily used for this purpose; the post is often hooked at one end to make it easier to move materials, particularly drywall and wood.
Modern models of pike sticks are light and strong; they are sometimes made of fiberglass to save weight and increase strength and durability. The hook at the end of the pole is usually made of metal such as steel or even iron for durability and heavy use. A firefighter is likely to use a pike pole during a fire to bring down drywall. This is done to find out if a fire is burning behind the drywall in the wall itself; by detecting the fire, firefighters can then put out the flames or trace the source of the fire more easily and quickly.
In the past, the pike pole was used to bring down structures on either side of the burning structure. This would help prevent the fire from spreading to larger regions, although this practice is used less as modern techniques can help prevent fires from spreading more quickly and effectively. However, the pike rod can still be used for such purposes, especially on smaller structures. It can also be used to break windows for ventilation, to knock down false ceilings or other material, and to remove objects that can add fuel to the fire without having to get too close to the flames themselves.
River drivers used a pike pole to clear log jams as the logs were floated down the rivers to the mills. River driving was a very dangerous job which in many cases required a person to run over logs, using pike poles to free the logs when they were hung on each other or over other obstacles in the river. A river rider could easily fall between logs when he used the pike, which often led to crushing deaths or other injuries. Pike poles enabled river drivers to clear jams without having to do it by hand, thus getting too close to the jammed log. The pole also allowed the driver to pry the logs free, thus freeing them more easily.
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