Following his master's degree in mechanical engineering and several years in the consulting and design engineering field, Cris Pasto created the Cepco Tool Company. Cepco Tools began with a product for easy installation of warped decking boards, plywood, and tongue and groove materials. This product, the Bowrench® Deck Tool, is often on the best-selling hand tools list at amazon.com, and brought much success to the company.

The Bowrench's success brought about a product called the QuikJack®, a hardwood flooring jack. With Cepco Tools developing and growing significantly, Cris was able to take a step back, so he did something he had wanted to do for a while - he joined the local fire department.

As part of the fire department, Cris was exposed to many interesting and creative tools in the fire service, but he saw much room for improvement, particularly in the field of passenger vehicle stabilization. Frustrated when they responded to roll-over type vehicle accidents, Cris never felt comfortable with the degree of stability they achieved with the resources they had available.

At this time, Cris fortuitously attended an auto extrication training course offered by New York State. After a discussion with the instructor about the possibilities of the QuikJack® lending itself to roll-over stabilization with some modification, the instructor encouraged Cris to create a working model. So he spent several months prototyping, and Cepco Tools developed the first Res-Q-Jack® Model RJ1. The original intention was simply to supply the one fire department with adequate tools for stabilization, but much more was to come.

After developing the RJ1, the neighboring fire department asked Cepco Tools to build them a set. From there, Ron Moore of Firehouse Magazine and Plano Fire Dept. in Texas caught wind of the Res-Q-Jack through an email from a local fire chief. He called Cris asking if he could test the design and include his findings in a special article for Firehouse Magazine about stabilization. The article essentially launched the Res-Q-Jack line of products head first into the market. Ron also continued to give valuable input, furthering the company as well as its product development.

Since the RJ-1 model, we've built the RJ-2, RJ-3, and RJ-4 models. We've continued to develop and improve the product significantly, in order to maximize the tool's versatility, increase setup speed, make it more user and patient friendly, and keep it affordable. The RJ-3 model turned out to be most versatile and effective, so we continued on with the RJ-3 as our "flagship" strut, developing products and accessories to accommodate its specifications.

When John Meier bought the company in 1998, Res-Q-Jack became its own company, separate from Cepco Tools. We continued to develop different lines of rescue struts based on the RJ3, in addition to helpful accessories such as end fittings, jack units, straps, and even the Res-Q-Saw. While the goal of the Cepco Tool Company products was always to make contractors' lives easier, Res-Q-Jack now makes a rescuer's job easier; and, better yet, we help save lives every day.

Now, the company has evolved into what you see on our website today. It is much more than Cris could have ever imagined, and continues to set the bar in vehicle stabilization.

We look forward to working with you as Res-Q-Jack continues to grow, developing more innovative designs and saving more lives.