Simultaneous Roof WS Removal

[BigRig]

Do you typically remove the WS and roof as a unit, or do you remove the WS and roof as seperate steps?

Where do you cut the posts?

[Bones42]

We do removal of WS and roof as separate units. As for cutting posts, once we make sure there are no damn air curtains, we cut the A posts as low as possible. Why do we do it this way? At a practice session many years ago, on an old car that came from a junkyard, the windshield fell out while flapping the roof back. Simply made me think not to do that anymore. Would it happen again? Probably not, but I haven't seen the need to risk it.

Once in a great while, we practice a roof removal going towards the front of the car and while doing that, we have left the windshield in as it never passes over the patients.

[Dalmatian90]

Windshield stays with the roof, just keep an eye on it that someone doesn't have to help keep it in place.

Usually make the cut in the windshield with a windshield saw while the tool crew is popping doors, etc. Then they make the cuts in the A post proximate to the saw cut.

[rescue133lt]

We almost always remove the windshield and roof as a single unit.

Where we cut the posts depends on what we find after removing the plastic. If we don't find anything we usually cut low.

[Rescue101]

No brainer!Using a 'cip saw windshield comes out like it had a zipper.Post cut will vary by make,model,year.A very efficent way to do business.T.C.

[Resq14]

We rarely remove the windshield itself.

If we are taking the roof, we typically either:

- 1 Fold the roof forward, using the bottom of the windshield as a hinge.

or

- 2 Rip A-post to A-post, across the bottom of the windshield with a GlasMaster saw. Prior to using these, we used reciprocating saws. I find that the GlasMaster does the job quicker and easier. Then simply remove the windshielf with the roof. Use caution when moving the roof over patients/rescuers... if possible, try moving it to the front of the vehicle.

If you opt to pivot the roof forward using the windshield as a hinge, one must be cautious about wind flipping the roof back. We typically go for option 2. I'm sure there are some circumstances that may warrant windshield glass removal as a separate step... but for typical ops, that usually isn't necessary.

[jducharme]

If the windshield is glued in place verus set in mastic I would certinly remove as 1 piece taking care not to allow the windhield to cross over the patients. It certinly would be a case by case scenero assuming there is no damage to the windshield or supporting structures. In modern vehicle construction therory manufactures use the windshield as part of the structure of the body. Depending on the situation there could be a time savings here that would warrent doing this.

[firespec35]

We always seperate WS from roof. As long as there are no pillar air bags we cut low and just because of new materials, new configurations, extra bracing material, or gigantic sunroofs in the roofs of vehicles we rarely flap roofs usually just full size vans etc. we will just remove the roof.

[Lewiston2FF]

We typically take the saw and cut starting at one A post and continue through the other effectively separating the front of the roof from the body of the car. The location of the cut is made as low as possible while avoiding any cylinders and sensors found while removing the interior trim panels.

One thing that I try to think of is to spray a bead of shave foam on the inside of the windshield to prevent glass particles from flying all over the inside of the car and into the patients airway. Another thing to remeber is to slow the blade a little so as to not melt the laminate to the blade because as soon as you finish making the cut the blade ends up needing to be changed.