Vehicle Extrication
Firefighter Curriculum: Component 2
Overview
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Terms & Definitions
Responsibilities
Vehicle Recognition
Accident Protection Systems
Initial Operational Procedures
Stabilization
Pneumatic Lifting Bags
Terms & Definitions
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Extrication – safely and efficiently freeing persons, pets,
or livestock from entrapment in land-based vehicles of
all types.
Disentanglement – that part of vehicle extrication that
relates to the removal and/or manipulation of vehicle
components to allow a properly packaged victim to be
removed from the vehicle. Sometimes referred to as
removing the vehicle from the victim.
Rescue – that part of vehicle extrication that relates to
assessing, stabilizing, protecting, and removing a victim
from entrapment.
Terms & Definitions
S.A.F.E.
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Stop And First Evaluate
Freeze
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FREEZE!
Hand on Shoulder
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Stop what you’re doing and listen
Control Zones – hot, warm and cold
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Hot Zone – restricted access area immediately surrounding the scene, and
only those directly involved in the extrication operation are allowed in this
area. (rescue sector officer & crew)
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Warm Zone – where those in support of the extrication operation may
function. (power plant for rescue tools and charged hose line)
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Cold Zone – where incident command and related functions can be
conducted. (tools, trucks and personnel staging)
Responsibilities
Police:
 Prevent further accidents
 Traffic control
 Arrange for additional resources (i.e. tow truck)
 Investigate cause and violations
Ambulance:
 Evaluate patient condition
 Provide medical care – stabilize, package
 Remove patient
 Transport patient
Fire:
 IMS
 Prevent/Control/Extinguish fires
 Extrication
 Assist medical personnel
Vehicle Recognition
Body on Frame
Unibody
Body on Frame
Body on Frame
Unibody
One-piece hydroformed body side rings.
Door hinges secured by
thick through-bolts located
in A- and B-pillars.
Cast magnesium transverse beam
behind the instrument panel.
Triple-rolled A-post design
resists roof collapse.
Shock towers connected solidly to
instrument panel.
Lateral tie bars that connect the front longitudinal
rails were closed to stiffen the front structure and
improve crashworthiness.
Hydroformed engine cradle ( not shown )
Unibody
Accident Protection
Systems
Accident Protection Systems
Activation can be electrical, mechanical or pyrotechnic
 Supplemental Restraint Systems (SRS)
 Side Impact Protection Systems (SIPS)
 Head Protection Systems (HPS)
 Seat belt pretensioners
 Knee bolsters
 Side impact beams
 Energy absorbing bumpers
 Rollover Protection Systems (ROPS)
Airbags
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Steering Wheel
Dash
Seats
Doors
Knees
A-Post/Roof
Side Impact Curtains
Head and Torso Airbag
Head/Thorax Airbag
Intelligent Airbags
Airbags
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5-10-20 Rule
Side impact – 5” deployment zone
Steering wheel – 10” deployment zone
Dash – 20” deployment zone
Capacitors – Designed to hold a charge up to 30
minutes for secondary impact
Seatbelt Pretensioners
Located in B posts or on the buckle side of
seats
 Designed to tighten or back wind seat belt
during frontal collisions
 Deployed only with the front airbags
Solution?
 Cut the seat belt early in the extrication
 Disconnect the battery
 Look before you cut!
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Seatbelt Pretensioners
Seatbelt Pretensioners
Seatbelt Pretensioners
Seatbelt Pretensioners
Initial Operational
Procedures
Size Up
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Starts from time of dispatch or earlier (pre-plan)
Ongoing throughout
Types of Collisions:
 Head-on
 Rear-end
 T-bone
 Rollover
 Water
Size Up
Captains Arrival Report:
 Paint a picture for dispatch and other crews
 Be professional, concise and calm
 You are setting the tone of the call
 Think before you speak
Should include:
 Incident location
 Observations – # of vehicles/patients
 Additional resources required
 Resources already on scene
 Actions to be taken
 Incident commander
Intersection of Princess & Church
7456 CR-18
Highway #6 and CR-51
Tim Hortons Parking lot
Size Up
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Outer and inner circle
checks (mandatory)
Can be done quickly if
you work as a team
Outer circle check first
Once safe, proceed with
inner check of each
vehicle involved
Hazards – Update
Captain
Size Up
What are you looking for during the outer circle
check?
 Hazards – hydro, damage to structures
 Other vehicles
 Patients thrown from vehicle – TIC
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Firefighter looking after patient should make
verbal contact at this time
Size Up
What are you looking for during the inner circle
checks?
 # of patients in or around vehicle
 Severity of injuries/entrapments
 Hazards – fire, fuel leaks, vehicle in drive, keys in
ignition, airbags deployed, alternative fuel
sources
 Rubber set windows??
Stabilization
Scene 1st
Vehicle 2nd
Patient 3rd
Stabilization
Stabilize Scene:
 Charged hose line
 Spills (Hazmat, fuel)
 Toxic gases
 Electrical
 Traffic control
 Crowd control
Stabilization
Stabilize Vehicle:
 Never test stability of vehicle!
 Cribbing
 Shoring
 Winches
 Chains/Straps/Ropes
 Neutralize vehicle hazards (SRS)
Stabilization
Stabilize Patient:
 ABC’s
 First aid
 Protect from operations, environment, weather
 Monitor until EMS relieves
Pneumatic Lifting Bags
Pneumatic Lifting Bags
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Various shapes and sizes
High, medium and low
pressure
Pneumatic Lifting Bags
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Plan operation before starting the work
Be familiar with equipment
Have an adequate air supply and sufficient cribbing on hand
before beginning operations
Position bags on or against a solid surface
Never inflate bags against sharp objects – use protective mats
Never inflate bags fully unless they are under load
Inflate bags slowly and monitor them continuously for any
shifting
Never work under a load supported only by lifting bags
Do not stand in front of pressurized bags
Pneumatic Lifting Bags
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Shore up the load with enough cribbing to support the load in
case of bag failure
Interrupt the process frequently to increase cribbing – lift an
inch, crib an inch
Ensure that the top tier is solid when using box cribbing
Avoid exposing bags to materials hotter than 220°F (104°C).
Never stack more than two bags; centre the bags with smaller
bag on top and inflate the bottom bag first (½ full), then inflate
the top bag fully.
Stacked bags can only lift the capacity of the lowest rated bag
Pneumatic Lifting Bags
Max Lifting Capacity:
 Small – 20.8 US tons or 41600 lbs
 Large – 34.2 US tons or 68400 lbs
Full of water, Tanker 67 weighs 45600 lbs. Is it
safe to lift the tanker with our high pressure air
bags stacked?
Answer: No, call for additional rescue and use two
large bags.