Keiser Force Machine

Keiser Force Machine

The Keiser Force Machine is a simulated forcible entry-chopping device developed and manufactured by Keiser Corporation specifically for the fire service. It provides an efficient and durable means of training or testing individuals such as firefighters who use axes and sledgehammers in their occupation.  To use the Force Machine, an individual straddles the I-beam by standing on the footwalks, and strikes the I-beam using the specifically designed 9-lb. dead-blow sledgehammer. The I-beam is weighted to simulate a railroad tie commonly used in testing many firefighters today. The individual drives the I-beam with overhand swings the length of the track. The movement is biomechanically correct, accurately reflecting structural firefighting tasks. Polyethylene glides on the bottom of the I-beam provide a consistent running surface on the steel track so important in testing. It takes an average of twenty to twenty-five strikes to move the I-beam five feet, a level of effort consistent with many forcible entry situations.