Fire & Incendiary Bomb Tackling Equipment

To deal with the outbreak of small fires and incendiary bombs (IBs) a number of pieces of equipment were available to Civil Defence personnel and the general public.

Stirrup Pump

The stirrup pump could be used against a burning incendiary bomb (IB) and also deal with small-scale fires (usually caused by incendiary bombs). Stirrup pumps were extremely common items of equipment and one pump per 30 houses or 150 yards of street were allocated. Wardens' Posts always had a stirrup pump available.

A three-man stirrup pump team consisted of the following:
  • No 1 carried and aimed the stirrup pump at the fire (and also carried a torch, an ARP 55 axe and a whistle);
  • No 2 operated the pump; and
  • No 3 carried two water buckets, one for use as a reservoir for the pump and the second for transporting water.

A team could pump 1.5 gallons of water a minute. It took up to six gallons of water to extinguish a single 1 kg incendiary bomb.
Stirrup Pump Advert 1938
Stirrup Pump Advert 1938

ARP Incendiary Bomb Scoop

​To deal with German incendiary bombs, a number scoops were available that allowed the burning incendiary to be covered in sand. This deprived the fire of oxygen and hopefully extinguished the flames. For IBs on hard surfaces it was found that placing sandbags over the IB was more practical. 

Redhill Bomb Scoop, Rake & Container

The Redhill scoop and hoe/rake were used to pull a burning incendiary device into the scoop using the hoe. Initially sand could be poured from the scoop onto the incendiary device. Then it could be pulled into the scoop with the hoe and passed into a fire bucket/container. The incendiary device could then be removed and extinguished elsewhere using sand or water (a highly dangerous procedure). 

As a somewhat complicated procedure, with the release of Air Raid Precautions Training Bulletin No. 6 in September 1941, the Ministry of Home Security advised that the Redhill Sand Container was no longer to be used, and the issue and production of the item ceased.
Redhill Scoop, Rake & Container Advert 1938
Redhill Scoop, Rake & Container Advert 1938

Rolyat Bomb Grab

A number of independent manufacturers created tools to assist with extinguishing incendiary devices. This device was specially designed to grab a burning incendiary bomb and allow it to be carried safely. The bomb could then be dealt with using sand or water to extinguish.