Nutt'n new two

[voyager9]

Another something to wrap the nogg'n around.. How would the below effect your operations?

Car flips over onto gas pipe in Delco crash


It isn't clear in the article how entrapped the actual driver was though it says he was in critical condition.. for the sake of discussion lets assume legs pinned.

Priorities? Tactics? Concerns?

[RyanEMVFD]

Guess the recip saw is out of the question.

For starters I would find a way to cover the patient and then soak the area and car with some foam to limit sparks. Have an Ariel parked nearby with heavy master stream ready. The proceed with caution. I would then handle the rest of the extrication as normal but with kids gloves.

This is just ideas off the top of my head. I think others will do better.

[mikeyboy411]

Stabilize the rear of the vehicle using Rescue 42 or ARS Struts. Stabilize the front using wedges (real wedges, not shims) and Straps. Lift the car off the Gas Line using the Struts to give us enough space to cut with the E-draulic Tools or use a set of Pneumatic (air over oil) Extrication Tools and take all the A and B pillars. I attached a couple of pics from an Extrication Training that we attended from the Corona Auto X that demonstrates what I'm saying.

Move the roof perpendicular to the Gas Line and "jack the dash" if needed. To "jack the dash" I would cut a pie cut or take a section out of the bottom of the A Pillar and place the Spreaders in the void space. Cut the firewall or the panel and spread with the Spreaders. Open the space enough to get the Pt. out and then pass them over to the Medics.

Once Tow's on scene pass the vehicle up-righting to them but stand-by just in case it goes to "hell in a hand basket".

[voyager9]

Guess the recip saw is out of the question.

For starters I would find a way to cover the patient and then soak the area and car with some foam to limit sparks. Have an Ariel parked nearby with heavy master stream ready. The proceed with caution. I would then handle the rest of the extrication as normal but with kids gloves.

This is just ideas off the top of my head. I think others will do better.

Interesting idea on the foam.. I understand the goal: limit sparks. I'd be concerned how the foam would impact the rest of the extrication. Stabilization could be harder when you reduce surface tension (wedges, shims..etc). At least you wouldn't need the soap spray bottle for the Sawzall!

One thing would be to use a small amount of foam on the pipe itself to help in checking for leaks.. look for bubbles. I'd also assign someone with a multigas to monitor the area directly around where the guys are working.

If available assign a crew to man a foam line just in case.

I'd also get the EC for the facility and see if there is a way to close/bypass that section.. reduce the hazard entirely.

[voyager9]

Stabilize the rear of the vehicle using Rescue 42 or ARS Struts. Stabilize the front using wedges (real wedges, not shims) and Straps. Lift the car off the Gas Line using the Struts to give us enough space to cut with the E-draulic Tools or use a set of Pneumatic (air over oil) Extrication Tools and take all the A and B pillars. I attached a couple of pics from an Extrication Training that we attended from the Corona Auto X that demonstrates what I'm saying.

Two questions:
What's the second strap from the 42 to the opposite underside of the vehicle? We run 42's but usually only use a single strap either to a low-point on the vehicle or the opposite strut.

Also, what's the second picture supposed to show?

[mikeyboy411]

Two questions:
What's the second strap from the 42 to the opposite underside of the vehicle? We run 42's but usually only use a single strap either to a low-point on the vehicle or the opposite strut.

Also, what's the second picture supposed to show?

The cross straps provide additional support for the side-to-side movement. When you use this configuration you get almost no movement. As far as the 2nd pic that shows how to compress the front of the vehicle to make it more solid. Do this and put in some wedges and the cars super solid.

Good questions, thanks.

[rmoore]

How is that ratchet strap in the bottom photo tying down the vehicle. I don't understand the process here?

[mikeyboy411]

Thanks Ron, from that picture I understand the questioning. I attached a way better picture that shows what's going on.

[voyager9]

Thanks Ron, from that picture I understand the questioning. I attached a way better picture that shows what's going on.

From that picture it looks like it holds the car laterally against the "wedge". Is it doing more then that? I'm hard pressed to figure out what could be compressed in that area of the vehicle to provide better stabilization.

[mikeyboy411]

As Ron can tell you and hopefully verify any time that we increase the surface area on a vehicle we are increasing the "foot print" that is made. By increasing the foot print we are providing additional stability to the vehicle in that area. If you also notice that we are also "filling a void space" by setting the Shark Cribs this way which provides additional support for the Engine Compartment.

It's not a "necessity" but it's more than a "nicety". Next time you do an Extrication Drill (manipulative) try this set-up and see if it works for you. I know that it works very well for us and worked for all the Squads that went through this "Pit".