At crash scenes with cars “B.A.” (before airbags), it didn’t matter how you tore a jammed door off a car; if it was jammed, you worked until you got it open. Now at scenes where you encounter cars “W.A.” (with airbags), you could have a loaded airbag inside every door on the car. B.A., you could do anything you wanted to the roof of the car. Now W.A., you’ve got a compressed gas inflator module mounted to the roof pillar or hidden inside the dashboard just waiting for you to accidentally mess with it. Cutting into that 1,400-psi pressure vessel will result in a catastrophic failure. It is important that with the introduction of each new model year of vehicles, we look at the new vehicles and study these newest of the new technologies. We need to assure ourselves that what we have done in the past at crash scenes is still proper and safe. In the October 1998 edition of the University of Extrication, we began a three-part series on airbag identification and introduced the term “airbag ID.” After surveying the 2001 and even some 2002 model year vehicles, it is apparent that we need to update ourselves on the new airbag IDs. The University of Extrication presents a pictorial review of some typical 2001 and 2002 airbag IDs and details what about them remains the same and what has changed since the last model year. “Shirt tag” airbag IDs are used by several manufacturers in their 2001 models. This 2001 Range Rover front-seat airbag ID is typical of how the cloth tag is sewn into the seam of the seat. Remember, the patient or their clothing can also easily obstruct this design of airbag ID.		Ronald E. Moore, a Firehouse® contributing editor, is the Forum Moderator of the University of Extrication section of the Firehouse.com website. Ron will present “University Of Extrication Advanced Vehicle Rescue Seminar” and “Auto Extrication” at Firehouse Expo, July 24-29, 2001, in Baltimore. Mercedes, like BMW and others, places side-impact airbags inside the doors. The ML430 SUV, for example, has an airbag ID on both the front and rear door panels. Nothing new here, but make sure you scan the door panel closely to see the ID. Notice how it blends into the interior trim colors of the vehicle. Remember, for door-mounted airbags, the airbag unit will always be toward the latch end of the door and above the level of the armrest. The ID will be in this area as well. Mercedes’ S-, E-, CL- and C-Class sedans continue in 2001 to feature a roof-mounted side-impact airbag system called the Head Protection Curtain. The S-430 sedan, equipped with these curtain airbags, has an airbag ID near the top of each B-pillar and the C-pillar. Having two airbag IDs along the same side roofline is new this year. As you scan a damaged 2001 Mercedes and see the two IDs, remember that there are not two separate roof airbag systems on that side of the vehicle. The two IDs advise you of just one full-length airbag curtain that deploys to protect both the driver and rear seat occupant on that side of the vehicle.
2001 Saturns now have the option of a Head Curtain airbag system. The ID is new and is placed in a location that we’ve never had airbag IDs before. The ID is a small embroidered marking sewn into the headliner upholstery near the A-pillar. Beware, it could easily be obstructed from view by a sunvisor that has been turned to the side. Look at this 2001 Lincoln Town Car airbag ID for the side-impact airbag inside the front seat. In the first image, there is no evidence of an airbag ID on the seatback. It is obstructed from your view by the webbing of the seatbelt. Our second look vividly illustrates the concern about the visibility of all airbag IDs that are positioned near the top of a seatback. With the seatbelt moved slightly, the ID is now readily visible. This is an example of how easily the airbag ID can be obstructed by the seatbelt webbing or by a patient or their clothing. Would you have seen that ID at first glance? The Mazda 2001 MPV wagon has seat-mounted airbags for the front occupants. The airbag ID “button” is on the seatback and is typically more visible from the rear than when viewed from the front. Check from both sides when scanning for seat-mounted airbags so you don’t miss this vital piece of information. Volvo made a change in the airbag ID for its roof-mounted Inflatable Curtain (IC) airbag with the 2001 model year. The IC “ID” will be found at top of the B-pillar. It says “IC Inflatable Curtain.” If, however, the front airbags have deployed, the blast from the explosive charge of the seatbelt pre-tensioner located inside the B-pillar trim will dislodge this little plastic piece. All evidence of a roof airbag system will be lying on the floor of the Volvo. In addition, as seen on this Volvo S60 sedan, there can also be a second airbag ID on the rear C-pillar as well. Similar to the dual airbag IDs found on new Mercedes, these two Volvo IDs advise you of the presence of just one airbag system, not two separate units. Audi’s 2001 model year vehicles have a roof-mounted Inflatable Sideguard Curtain airbag. Their ID is visible along the headliner area near the top of the roof pillar. The 2002 Dodge 1500 pickup truck is equipped with a roof-mounted Curtain airbag, shown deployed along the passenger side of this vehicle. The Curtain airbag ID is along the headliner area near the top of each B-pillar. TASK: Using this information as a guide, vehicle rescue technicians should now visit new car dealerships to tour and inspect 2001 and 2002 model year vehicles. There are many more types and styles of airbag IDs for you to see. There’s also a lot more to see on the 2001 and 2002 model year vehicles than just airbag IDs. Bring your camera. It’s getting interesting!