As firefighters, it’s pretty much in our blood to solve problems. Heck, we do it every morning sitting around the kitchen table, sipping coffee, and sharing our own versions of how I’d do this or how you should do that. Then we all get up from the cozy comfort of the kitchen and go about the duties of the day, leaving all those wonderful solutions right there on the table. So here’s a little success story we can be proud of.
A couple of years ago, while out doing annual hydrant testing, one of our guys hurts his back trying to get a stem open on a hydrant. There’s not much room to operate, and he has to get in an awkward position. When it finally feels loose enough, he pulls up on the wrench, only to realize it wasn’t quite ready. And that’s when the pain sets in, shooting right up his back!
This injury was enough to put him off duty. But he thinks to himself “this is so ridiculous and shouldn’t have to happen!” He takes it one step further and decides it’s about time to try something different.
And so begins the process of designing a new spanner that would tackle the various problems we have with what we’ve been using. After several designs and several trips to a mechanical engineer, a final design is complete. Then a couple prototypes are made, some small changes, and finally . . . the “EZ SPANNER” comes to life!
Finally, we have at our disposal a “ratcheting, multi-functional, customizable, fire hydrant spanner! Yes, I know . . . you thought of that already right? But you never actually went out and had it made now, did you? Well, don’t worry, now you don’t’ have to!
The EZ Spanner is the brainchild of 15 year LAFD veteran Engineer Dennis Garrison. After getting the wrench made and turning his creation into a business, Dennis realized that running the day-to-day operations, sales, and product development of a start-up company was impossible to do alone, and not in the best interest of his new company. So naturally he turned to his co-worker and close trusted friend Dan Will to join the company. Dan brings his outgoing personality, persistence, and experience to the table. Dan has been invaluable in attracting impressive sales and managing relationships with distributors and vendors.
Since Better Tools, LLC launched its first product, the 4-hole ratcheting EZ Spanner Wrench, Dennis and Dan have brought to market seven additional products. Dan and Dennis both share the vision of bringing better, safer and more efficient innovative products to fellow firefighters around the world. It has proven to work for them during individual testing – they know it will work for you! The EZ Spanner line of tools have been selling all over the country for about the last year and half. Take a look at the website ezspanner.com and get on board to support our own guys in their effort to make our job a lot EZer!