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Vehicle

Rescue and

Extrication

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Objectives (1 of 3)

• Describe the vehicle anatomy.

• List the hazards involved in responding to

an emergency scene.an emergency scene.

• List the hazards to look for when arriving

on the scene of a vehicle extrication

situation.

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Objectives (2 of 3)

• Describe cribbing.

• Describe the extrication tools that are used

for stabilizing, bending, cutting, and for stabilizing, bending, cutting, and

disassembling.

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Objectives (3 of 3)

• Describe how to gain access to the victim

of a motor vehicle collision.

• Describe how to disentangle a victim of a • Describe how to disentangle a victim of a

motor vehicle collision.

• Describe how to remove and transport

victims of a motor vehicle collision.

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Introduction

• Beginning fire fighters must understand

the process of extrication.

– Should have some proficiency in extrication – Should have some proficiency in extrication skills

– Most fire departments are involved in some part of the extrication process.

• Members of special rescue teams should

complete a course in rescue techniques.

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Conventional Vehicles

• Majority of vehicles on the road

• Use internal combustion engines

• Burn gasoline or diesel fuel• Burn gasoline or diesel fuel

• Hazards

– Fuel leaks

– Short circuits

– Battery acid leaks

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Alternative-Powered Vehicles (1 of 2)

• Powered by CNG or propane

– Cylinders usually in

trunktrunk

– City buses and other

fleet vehicles

– Identified by CNG

sticker

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Alternative-Powered Vehicles (2 of 2)

• After crash, cylinders or fuel lines could be

damaged.

– CNG could escape.– CNG could escape.

– Threat of BLEVE

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Electric-Powered Vehicles

• Electric motor powered by batteries

• Contains a large number of batteries

• Hazards• Hazards

– Large amount of energy stored in batteries

– Potential electrical shorts

– Leakage from damaged batteries

– Voltage higher then 12-volt car battery

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Hybrid Vehicles

• Battery-powered electric motors and a

gasoline-powered engine

• Electric power at low speed, gas power at • Electric power at low speed, gas power at

high speed

• When stopped both sources turn off

• Hazards posed are same as gas- and

electric-powered vehicles.

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Vehicle Anatomy (1 of 2)

• The front of the vehicle is where the hood is and travels down the road first.down the road first.

• The rear of the car is where the trunk sits and goes down the road last.

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Vehicle Anatomy (2 of 2)

• The left side of the car

• The right side of the vehicle is where the

passenger’s seat is located.passenger’s seat is located.

• Always refer to left and right as they relate

to the vehicle.

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Vehicle Posts

• Connect the body of the car to the roof of

the car and are structural supports

• “A” post is located nearest the front of the • “A” post is located nearest the front of the

vehicle.

• “B” post is located between the front and

rear doors.

• “C” post is located behind the rear doors.

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Bulkhead

• Divides the engine compartment from the

passenger compartment

– The passenger compartment includes the – The passenger compartment includes the front and back seats.

• Sometimes called the occupant cage or occupant

compartment

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Platform Frame

• Platform frame uses beams to fabricate

the load-bearing frame.

– The engine, transmission, and body – The engine, transmission, and body components connect to the frame.

– Provides a sound place for stabilizing the vehicle and an anchor point for attaching cables or extrication tools

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Unibody Frame

• Used in most modern cars

– Combines the vehicle frame and body into a single component single component

– Allows manufacturers to develop lighter weight vehicles

– Remember that unibody vehicles do not have the frame rails found in platform frame vehicles.

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Respond to the Scene

• Safe response includes:– Picking the best route of travel for the time of

day

– Driving in a safe manner

– Knowing limits of your vehicle

– Keeping seatbelts fastened

• Evaluating the dispatch information – Listening carefully for any direction

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Arrival and Size-Up: Traffic

Hazards (1 of 3)

• Determine where to locate your vehicle.

• Take into account the • Take into account the safety of emergency workers, the victims, and the motorists.

• Do not hesitate to request the road to be closed.

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Hazards (2 of 3)

• Use large emergency vehicles to provide a barrier for motorists.

• Place apparatus at an angle to the crash.

• Traffic cones or flares

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Hazards (3 of 3)

• Fire fighters need to be visible

– PPE should be bright.

– PPE used at night needs to be equipped with – PPE used at night needs to be equipped with reflective material.

• Be alert for any vehicles that might cause

you injury.

• IC should perform a size-up.

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Arrival and Size-Up: Fire

Hazards • Look for spilled fuels

and other flammable hazards.

• Look for the presence of fire.

• Fire may trap the vehicle occupants and require suppression.

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Arrival and Size-Up: Electrical

and Other Hazards• Electrical hazards

– Look for downed or damaged power lines.

• Other hazards • Other hazards

– Environmental

• Rain, sleet, ice or snow can pose a hazard to

rescue workers.

• Crashes that occur on hills are harder to stabilize.

• Be aware of the possibility of hazardous materials.

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Arrival and Size-Up: Other

Hazards• Infectious bodily fluids

• Sharp edges and objects

• Violent behavior • Violent behavior

• Family pets may react protectively.

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Stabilization: Traffic Hazards

• Traffic must be slowed or stopped as

motorists approach the scene.

• Traffic hazards are best handled by the • Traffic hazards are best handled by the

appropriate law enforcement agency.

• Work with law enforcement officials to

control traffic in a safe manner.

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Stabilization: Fire Hazards (1 of 2)

• It should be standard operating procedure

(SOP) to advance a charged hose line

close to a damaged vehicle.close to a damaged vehicle.

• At least a 1.5" hose should be staffed by a

fire fighter in PPE.

• Hose line can provide protection for

rescuers and victims of the crash.

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Stabilization: Fire Hazards (2 of 2)

• Crashes that pose large fire hazards or

actual fires may require additional fire

suppression resources. suppression resources.

• Small fuel spills can be handled by using

an absorbent material to remove the fuel

from the area around the damaged

vehicle.

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Stabilization: Electrical

Hazards• Disconnecting the vehicle’s power source

should be done following your local SOP.

• Downed power lines should be handled by • Downed power lines should be handled by

the power company.

• Do not approach a vehicle and do not let a

victim leave the vehicle until the electricity

has been controlled.

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Stabilization: Other Hazards

• Heat and cold should be dealt with.

• Ensure adequate lighting at night.

• Prevent slips and falls on wet and icy • Prevent slips and falls on wet and icy

surfaces.

• Wear PPE to reduce the risk of injury from

sharp objects and infectious bodily fluids.

• Remove animals from the scene.

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Cribbing

• Used to stabilize a vehicle

• Lengths of wood used • Lengths of wood used to prevent a vehicle from moving backward and forward

– After cribbing has

been placed, a vehicle

can still move.

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Step Chocks

• Shaped like stair steps and are placed under the side of the vehiclevehicle

• Place one step chock toward the front of the vehicle and a second step chock toward the rear of the vehicle.

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Box Crib

• Standard cribbing can be used to form a box crib.

• Place cribbing at right angles to the preceding layer of cribbing.

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Vehicle Stabilization

• A vehicle on its side or roof is very

unstable.

– Can be stabilized using box cribs or step – Can be stabilized using box cribs or step blocks on each end of the vehicle

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Wedges

• Used to snug up loose cribbing or when using lift airbagsairbags

• Should be the same width as the cribbing with the taper end no less than 0.25" thick

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Rescue Lift Airbags (1 of 2)

• Used to lift a vehicle or object off a victim

• Pneumatic-filled • Pneumatic-filled bladders made of rubber or synthetic material

• Always use cribbing when using rescue lift airbags.

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Rescue Lift Airbags (2 of 2)

• Use extreme caution.

• Adhere to all the safety precautions.

• Should not be used without properly • Should not be used without properly

blocking the wheels

• Rescue lift airbags can fail as they age.

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Low-Pressure Lift Air Bags

• Often used in recovery operations and

sometimes used by departments for

vehicle rescue operationsvehicle rescue operations

• Come in many shapes and sizes; but

square airbags offer greater stability.

• Can be less stable until fully inflated as

compared to high-pressure airbags

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Medium-Pressure Lift Air

Bags • Have either two or three cells inside their

design

• Best when used in aircraft or truck rescue • Best when used in aircraft or truck rescue

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High-Pressure Lift Air Bags

• Most common airbags used by the fire

service for rescue work

• Heavily constructed • Heavily constructed

• Generally made of vulcanized rubber mats

that are reinforced by steel or other

material woven into a fiber mat and

covered with rubber

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Principles of Gaining Access

and Disentangling the Victim• Use these techniques

– Stabilize

– Bend, distort, or

displace

– Cut or sever

– Disassemble

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Tools Used in Extrication (1 of 4)

• Stabilizing tools

– Cribbing

– Rescue lift airbags– Rescue lift airbags

– Step blocks

– High-lift jacks and stabilization jacks

– Be certain that they are placed firmly under the vehicle and that vehicle is stable before attempting to enter it.

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• Bending tools

– Hand tools such as pry

axe, short pry bars,

long pry bars, long pry bars,

hacksaws, screw

drivers, hammers, and

Halligan tools

– Power tools such as

hydraulic rams and

hydraulic spreaders

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• Cutting tools

– Hand tools

– Power tools

• Air, electricity, or

hydraulics.

• Air chisels, rotary or

reciprocating saws,

hydraulic cutters.

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• Tools for disassembling

– Same tools used for construction and repair

– Mechanic’s toolkit contains an assortment of – Mechanic’s toolkit contains an assortment of wrenches and screwdrivers

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Gain Access to the Victim

• Open the door.

– Easiest and simplest

way to gain access

– Try all doors.

– Make sure door is

unlocked.

– Try the outside and

inside handles at the

same time if possible.

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Break Tempered Glass (1 of 3)

• Consider breaking a window if victim’s

condition is serious and doors will not

open. open.

• Do not try to break and enter through the

windshield.

– Made of laminated windshield glass

– Difficult to break

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• Side and rear windows

• Break a window away • Break a window away from the victim.

• Use a gloved hand to remove as much of the broken glass as possible to avoid injuring rescuers.

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• Aim for a low corner if using something

other than a spring-loaded punch.

• When the window is broken and glass • When the window is broken and glass

removed, try to unlock door.

• Breaking the rear window will sometimes

provide an opening large enough to

enable a rescuer to gain access to the

victim.

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Force the Door (1 of 4)

• Door displacement

• Choose door that will not endanger the not endanger the safety of the victim.

• Use hand tools to bend the sheet metal away from the edge of the door.

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• Place the spreader in a position so that it

is not in the pathway of the door.

• Do not stand in a position that might put • Do not stand in a position that might put

you in danger.

• Activate the hydraulic tool to push apart

the outer sheet metal skin of the vehicle to

expose the hinges or door latch.

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• Once the outer sheet metal has been

exposed, close the tips of the spreader

and remove them. and remove them.

• Insert the closed tips onto the inner skin of

the door and the doorjamb just above the

latch or above the hinges.

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• Activate the spreader.

– Separating a door at the latch side

• Place cribbing under the bottom of the door first. • Place cribbing under the bottom of the door first.

• Some hydraulic tools can cut door hinges.

– Separating a door from hinge side

• Place the spreader on top of the bottom hinge and

separate door from hinge.

• Place cribbing underneath the door to hold it in

place.

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Provide Initial Medical Care

• As soon as you have secured access, provide emergency medical care. medical care.

• Care provided during extrication

• Get the victim stabilized and removed.

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Disentangle the Victim–Fire Fighter II Standard (1 of 3)

• Purpose is to remove the parts of the

vehicle that are trapping the victim

• Remove the sheet metal and plastic from • Remove the sheet metal and plastic from

around the victim.

• It is not “cutting the victim out of the

vehicle.”

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• Before beginning disentanglement, study

the situation.

– What is trapping the victim in the vehicle? – What is trapping the victim in the vehicle?

– Perform only necessary procedures.

– The order in which procedures are performed is dictated by scene conditions.

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• Protect the victim at all times.

• Use backboards and blankets to shield

victim. victim.

• Explain procedures to victims to reassure

them.

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Displace the Seat–Fire Fighter II Standard (1 of 5)

• In frontal and rear end crashes, the driver may be trapped.

• Displacing the seat can:

– Relieve pressure on

the driver

– Give rescuers more

space for removal

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• Attempt simplest steps first.

– Attempt to move seat back on its track either manually or engaging power seats. manually or engaging power seats.

– Attempt to lower adjustable seat.

– Perform a dash displacement if moving the seat back does not work.

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• As a last resort, use a manual hydraulic

spreader or a powered hydraulic tool to

move the seat back.move the seat back.

– Place one tip of the tool on the bottom of the seat.

– Avoid pushing on the seat channel that is attached to the floor of the vehicle.

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• Place the other tip of the spreader at the

bottom of the “A” post doorjamb.

• Support the victim. • Support the victim.

• Engage the seat adjustment lever on

manual seats and open the spreader in a

careful fashion.

• Seat should move backward in a

controlled fashion.

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• Remove seat back in some cases.

– Cut the upholstery away from the bottom of the seatback.the seatback.

– A reciprocating saw or a hydraulic cutter can be used to cut the supports for the seat back.

– Be certain that the victim is supported and protected during this procedure.

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Remove the Windshield–Fire Fighter II Standard (1 of 5)

• Removing windows provides better

communication between personnel inside

and outside the vehicle.and outside the vehicle.

• Try and roll down windows first.

• Side and rear windows are tempered glass

that can be removed by striking in a lower

corner.

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• Windshield made of laminated glass

• Cannot be broken by spring-loaded center

punchespunches

• When struck by sharp stone or spring-

loaded center punch, a small mark is

formed, but remains intact.

• Remove the windshield in one large piece.

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• Most common technique is removing the

windshield by using an axe.

– Protect victim.– Protect victim.

– Begin cutting at the top of windshield at the middle using short strokes of the axe.

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• Using an axe (continued)

– Cut down the side next

to the “A” post. to the “A” post.

– Finish by cutting the

bottom of the

windshield.

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• Second rescuer starts at the top of the

windshield and cuts second half of the

windshield. windshield.

• When the second rescuer is finished, lift

windshield out of the frame.

• A saw can be used to accomplish this

technique as well.

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Remove the Steering Wheel–Fire Fighter II Standard

(1 of 3)

• During a crash, the steering wheel may be

pushed back into the victim’s abdomen or

chest. chest.

• Removing the steering wheel can help in

disentangling a victim from the vehicle.

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(2 of 3)

• Removal of the entire steering wheel is

possible using hand or power tools.

– Hand tools include hacksaws or bolt cutters. – Hand tools include hacksaws or bolt cutters.

– Power tools include hydraulic cutters and reciprocating saws.

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(3 of 3)

• One method of removal is to cut the

spokes as close to the hub as possible.

• Second method is to cut the hoop or ring. • Second method is to cut the hoop or ring.

• Can be removed completely or one

section can be cut or removed.

• Cutting the hoop or spokes leaves sharp

edges.

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Displace the Dash–Fire Fighter II Standard (1 of 5)

• During frontal crashes, the dash will get pushed down or backward. backward.

• If victim is trapped by dash it must be removed.

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• Technique is called dash displacement or a dash roll-up.

– Objective is to lift the

dash up and move it

forward.

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• Requires a cutting tool such as hacksaw,

reciprocating saw, an air chisel, or

hydraulic cutter to cut “A” post. hydraulic cutter to cut “A” post.

– A mechanical high-lift jack or hydraulic ram is needed to push the dash forward.

– Cribbing is needed to protect the opening made from displacing dash.

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• Sequence

– Open or remove both

front doors.

– Place backboard

between victim and

the “A” post.

– Cut the bottom of the

“A” post perpendicular

to where it meets the

floor of vehicle.

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• Place the base of the tool at the base of

the “B” post.

• Place the tip of the tool at the bend in the • Place the tip of the tool at the bend in the

“A” post.

• Extend the tool in a controlled fashion.

• Build a crib to hold the sill in position.

• Carefully monitor victim.

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Displace the Roof–Fire Fighter II Standard (1 of 4)

• Advantages

– Equipment can be passed to the emergency medical providermedical provider

– Increases the amount of space available

– Visibility and fresh air supply are improved.

– Helps reduce feeling of panic

– Provides a large exit route for the victim

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• One method is to cut the “A” posts and

fold the roof back toward the rear of the

vehicle. vehicle.

• Roof displacement can be accomplished

with hand tools and power tools.

– Hacksaws, air chisels, or hydraulic cutters.

– Reciprocating saws and powered hydraulic cutters.

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• Steps for roof displacement

– Assure safety.

– As roof is cut, rescuers

have to support roof.

– Remove all glass.

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• Cut the posts farthest away from the victim.

• Cut to ensure that the • Cut to ensure that the least will remain.

• Cut at the narrowest point in the post.

• Support each post.

• Cut the post closest to the victim last.

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Remove and Transport the

Victim–Fire Fighter II

Standard (1 of 3)

• Victim needs to be stabilized and packaged in preparation for removal.packaged in preparation for removal.

• Definitive treatment of trauma victims needs to be done at a hospital.

• Amount of stabilization on the victim while in the vehicle should be limited to steps needed to prevent further injury.

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Standard (2 of 3)

• Develop a plan for victim removal.

• Clear exit pathway • Clear exit pathway

• Directed by a designated person

• Use clear commands.

• Assure adequate number of rescuers.

• Make sure that everyone understands the commands that will be given.

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Standard (3 of 3)

• Follow directions of EMS personnel in charge of victim care. charge of victim care.

• Transport patient to appropriate medical facility for care as soon as initial stabilization is complete.

• If your department uses a helicopter service, become familiar with procedures.

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Secure the Scene and

Prepare for the Next Call–Fire

Fighter II Standard (1 of 2)

• Final step is to secure the scene and

prepare for the next call. prepare for the next call.

• Gather all of the equipment used, inspect

it, clean it, sharpen it, refuel it, and place it

back in the proper location.

• Sometimes this can be done at the scene.

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Secure the Scene and

Prepare for the Next Call–Fire

Fighter II Standard (2 of 2)

• After major incidents, it may be necessary

to return to the station to clean and restock to return to the station to clean and restock

the apparatus.

• Personnel need to prepare for the next

call.

• Maintain safe practices.

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Summary (1 of 4)

• Most fire departments are involved in

extricating victims from vehicles.

• Extrication should follow logical steps. • Extrication should follow logical steps.

• It is important to prepare equipment and

personnel for extrication emergencies.

• Respond safely and efficiently to an

extrication incident.

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Summary (2 of 4)

• Size-up needs to evaluate all of the

hazards that are present.

• Stabilizing the hazards is essential to • Stabilizing the hazards is essential to

assuring safety for all people at an

emergency scene.

• Tools used for gaining access and

disentanglement work by stabilizing,

bending, cutting, or disassembling.

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Summary (3 of 4)

• You gain access to victims by opening

doors, breaking tempered glass, or forcing

doors. doors.

• Techniques for disentangling victims

include displacing a seat, removing the

windshield, removing the steering wheel,

displacing the dash, or displacing the roof.

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Summary (4 of 4)

• Victims need to be properly packaged and

carefully removed to prevent further pain

and injuries. and injuries.

• Equipment needs to be cleaned and

returned to apparatus to be ready for the

next call.

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