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Basic Vehicle Extrication

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Accompanying Video

This PowerPoint presentation accompanies the video presentation of the same title.

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Presenter

Lt. Drew Livesey• 10 years as a Professional Firefighter in

the Portland-Metro area• 17 years of experience in the fire

service• Active team member in USAR as well as

Vehicle and Heavy Machinery Instructor

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Overview

• Extrication Philosophy• Scene Approach and Control• Passive and Active Safety Systems• Safety System Mitigation• Extrication Considerations

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Extrication Philosophy

• Safety First(Turnouts, Gloves, Eye Pro, Charged Hose Line)

• Patient Protection and Care(Triage, # of patients, types of injuries)

• Remove the car from the Patient!

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Extrication Philosophy

Less is More Approach - Time vs. Benefit• The average extrication takes 30 min.• What does a trauma entry patient need?.... surgery…• Remove the vehicle from the patient and not the

patient from the vehicle (when appropriate….. it takes time)• Perform rapid extrication when appropriate (immediate

danger to life)

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Scene Approach and Control

• Call for resources early• Approach to scene• Stabilize– Scene– Vehicle– Patient

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Scene Approach and Control

Plan ABC….– Assign one person as extrication Team Leader– Team Leader determine Plan A; communicate it to

team; begin execution– Establish Plan B and C and ensure adequate

resources are available to execute– Monitor progress of plan, and switch to new plan

if progress is stalled

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Passive Safety Systems

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Vehicle construction– Body configurations– Reinforcement– Exotic materials– Other

Body Configurations

• Full frame “frame rail running front to back on each side”

Reliant upon no one component• Unibody “pass area floor pan with sub frame

connectors” Reliant upon all parts for integrity• Space frame “birdcage framework” Reliant upon cage for integrity

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Reinforcement

• Soft points and hard points• Hinge points• Door beams

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Soft and Hard Points

• “Soft” outer skin• “Hard” points attached to soft skin and

reinforcements• “Hard” points need to be forced in order to

gain door access• “Soft” materials tend to fail when stressed by

a crash or by rescue tools

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Hinge / Latch Points

• Can be a very hard and reinforced point• Different hinge types– Cast– Stamped– Forged – Hardened Steel– Two Parts

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Hinge / Latch Points

Latch points– ‘Nader’ Pin - Safety Bolt– Wedge Design– Other ?

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Door Beams

• High strength steels• Micro-alloy Boron steel• Welded to lighter weight connectors• Bar is VERY difficult to cut !• Deadbolting door a possibility

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Door Beams

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Active Safety Systems

• Airbags• Pretensioners• Rollover Protection

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Airbags

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Airbag Identifier

• ID Plates• Shapes/ sizes• Can be “hidden”• Many locations/ placement• ID’ing should be done quickly as possible

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Pretensioners

• Part of the air bag system• Removes slack in the seat belt prior to

occupant impact• Works in conjunction with air bag system to

put occupant into the proper position before impact

• Usually a pyrotechnic propellant

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Pretensioners

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Rollover Protection

• Identified as ROPS – Rollover Protection System

• Spring or Pyrotechnic operated

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Rollover Protection

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Rollover Protection

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Peel and Peak

• Prior to cutting post in any vehicle you need to peel and peak– Pull all interior plastics and safety system cylinders

used to activate side and overhead airbag systems– Pull plastics covering seat belt pretensioners

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Peel and Peak

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Safety System Mitigation

• Identify and Recognize Hazards• Kill the power – Cut or remove battery cables• Cut seatbelts when needed• Peel and Peak behind interior

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Wrap-up

• Scene safety• Vehicle type and safety systems• Have a plan A, B, and C• New vehicles are changing– High strength/exotic materials– Safety systems– Alternative fuel/hybrid vehicles

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Wrap-up

• Newer cars create new challenges to extrication adding to scene time

• More hazards to identify with new vehicle• Do not mindlessly cut and spread a vehicle

newer, smarter cars require newer, smarter approaches

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Acknowledgements

• Fire Rescue Equipment NW, LLC– Newberg, OR– Holmatro rescue equipment– Thanks to Chris Mills

• BLACKHAWK!– Small Pry tool

• Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue

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