Quote Originally Posted by Northeast68 View Post
Does anyone else dis-agree with the use of glass masters?

I personally don't like them because of the glass dust and swinging a tool into the patient compartment.

Whenever possible, speaking of windshields, I prefer to leave the full windshield in place, and seperate it from the roof. Very clean, very controlled.

In PA, the state requires them to be in inventory for the voluntary rescue service recognition program, but we won't use it.

If we have to cut a windshield, we tape it and sawzall it. But we try to stay away from cutting them at all.

As far as removing tempered glass, we use the standard spring loaded center punch. Its never let us down. So long as it isn't a cheap "Harbor Freight" type.

A glass master is a very efficient tool to have in an extrication from the stand point of breaking glass and cutting a windshield. When you say swinging the tool into the patient compartment, you must pay attention on where you are swinging. You are right that if this tool is swung in the wrong place, your pt is not going to be to happy with you. When you are breaking glass with a glass master, you must make sure you are breaking in a lower corner and swinging from behind a post. If you swing from behind a post, the post will stop your tool from entering the pt compartment. And as far as the tape goes, that is just one extra step before you get your pt out. In a serious accident time is a big factor. If your department is quick at doing it and thats what works for you guys then keep at it, but i would think that it is faster to throw a blanket over your pt and not worry about the dust. If you could let me know how you guys tape the windshield and cut that would be cool.