Emergency responders tear apart cars to improve extraction speed
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IDAHO FALLS — Let’s hope first responders never have to use their tools on your car, but if they do — rest assured they know what they are doing, and they do it well.
Idaho Falls Fire Department used various tools to disassemble vehicles Friday, all part of a training in extraction.
After hours of training in the classroom, first responders got their hands on the real thing. Many new fire fighters got to try out the tools for the first time, others had a refresher.
Veteran fire fighters were on-hand to explain vehicle anatomy, key safety concerns and ultimately the quickest and safest way to remove sections of the car.
Pacific Steel donated the cars to the fire department for the training.
“This is all about learning how to quickly and safely remove patients for care,” Battalion Chief Cody Anderson tells EastIdahoNews.com. “The goal is to safely extricate patients without causing any additional harm to them.”
Using the cutter, first responders were cutting through the car’s steel body using thousands of pounds of force. Using hydraulics, cutters can slice right through roof supports and other key portions of vehicles.
Another tool used was the spreaders. Spreaders are shaped like needle-nose pliers and are used to both pinch and pry. During training Firefighter Hayes, with the guidance of a veteran firefighter, pried a door off its hinges with little effort. At times the spreader was used to separated entire sections of the car simulating a rescue where a patient legs were pinned.
Last of the hydraulic tools used was the ram. The ram resembles a car jack one might use to change a tire, but in this case, it’s very fast reacting and very powerful. It was also used to spread parts of the vehicle apart.
