Airbag Rescue Systems

[billyleach]

Simply creating discussion here...other than lifting, what actual techniques have you performed using air bag rescue systems during rescue ops or training?

What worked well, and what didn't?

Please provide some details so we all may learn of any innovative techniques that may be useful.

[Catch22]

I once heard of a nearby department that used one as a floatation device for a person trapped in slow-moving flood water. They tied a rope to it, filled it, closed the valve attached to the bag, and took it to the victim and drug them in with a firefighter assisting.

They have since obtained better water rescue equipment.

[Isitjustme]

Moving a large heavy object to the side.

[billyleach]

They are extremely useful in trench rescue ops, also farm eqt rescue. Lets hear your ideas and uses.

[billyleach]

Certainly folks have used them for many different techniques during rescue. What are some you've used or trained on?

[MG3610]

We have used them for lifting bariatric patients back into bed. We had a woman who was 400+ and determined it would work best to place 2 2.5 ton low pressure cushions under her and raise them to get her back into bed. We had them covered with sheets and blankets to facilitate sliding her back over once raised.

We used the 1.5 and 5 ton bags to free a storz coupling from between the rear tire of an engine company once. Rather than call a wrecker, we let quite a bit of air out of the tires, and gingerly inflated the bags to gap the tire enough to free the hose and coupling.

We teach to use them in industrial applications for spreading parts of machinery apart.

Thats all I can think of at the moment.

[billyleach]

Sounds good. Simply asking to increase conversation among all...please reply with any uses you've found.

[efd113]

in training we have used them between the back of cab and front wall of the bed of a pickup in a what if ? you know like someone riding in the bed of the trucks gets in that spot and entrapped.

[basslerga]

I have seen attempts to use airbag with chains to do a steering collum lift, these resulted in little success and sometimes near failures/ bags poping out from under chains, so now I do not usually allow students to attempt this procedure in class.
I have had some sucess with using very small bags (1 ft x 6") to increase space to free victims. But other then that I don't use them except for lifting operations.

[billyleach]

I've also seen chains & bags used in an attempt to lift a strg column. Some time ago, commercial ratchet binding straps were used in place of the chains.

Further, I've seen both HP and LP bags used to lift columns and attempt to move seats as well.

[MetalMedic]

I have seen attempts to use airbag with chains to do a steering collum lift, these resulted in little success and sometimes near failures/ bags poping out from under chains, so now I do not usually allow students to attempt this procedure in class.
I have had some sucess with using very small bags (1 ft x 6") to increase space to free victims. But other then that I don't use them except for lifting operations.

This evolution works well, but you need to properly position cribbing to hold the chains while the bag expands against the cribbing. You also need to make a solid base of cribbing to prevent the bag from expanding into the dashboard.

[FIRECAPT62]

Separating security bars on windows.