Essentials of Fire Fighting, 5 th Edition Chapter 8 Rescue and Extrication Firefighter II.

Essentials of Fire Fighting, 5th Edition

Chapter 8 — Rescue and Extrication

Firefighter II

Firefighter II8–2

Chapter 8 Lesson Goal

• After completing this lesson, the student shall be able to operate various kinds of rescue equipment and practice correct extrication procedures at an accident scene following the policies and procedures set forth by the jurisdiction (AHJ).

Firefighter II8–3

Specific Objectives

1.Discuss maintaining emergency power and lighting equipment. 2.Describe characteristics of hydraulic rescue tools. 3.Describe characteristics of nonhydraulic rescue tools.

(Continued)

Firefighter II8–4

Specific Objectives

4.Discuss cribbing for rescue operations. 5.Describe the characteristics of pneumatic tools. 6.Discuss lifting/pulling tools used in rescue operations.

(Continued)

Firefighter II8–5

Specific Objectives

7.Explain the size-up process for a vehicle incident. 8.Describe items to look for when assessing the need for extrication activities. 9.Discuss stabilizing vehicles involved in a vehicle incident.

(Continued)

Firefighter II8–6

Specific Objectives

10. List the three methods of gaining access to victims in vehicles. 11. List the most common hazards associated with wrecked passenger vehicles.

(Continued)

Firefighter II8–7

Specific Objectives

12.Explain the dangers associated with Supplemental Restraint Systems (SRS) and Side-Impact Protection Systems (SIPS).13. Describe basic actions taken for patient management.

(Continued)

Firefighter II8–8

Specific Objectives

14. Describe patient removal. 15. Describe laminated safety glass and tempered glass. 16. Discuss removing glass from vehicles. 17. Explain considerations when removing vehicle roof and doors.

(Continued)

Firefighter II8–9

Specific Objectives

18. Describe common patterns of structural collapse. 19. Describe the most common means of locating hidden victims in a structural collapse. 20. Describe structural collapse hazards.

(Continued)

Firefighter II8–10

Specific Objectives

21.Describe shoring. 22. Discuss technical rescue incidents. 23. Service and maintain portable power plants and lighting equipment. (Skill Sheet 8-II-1)

(Continued)


Specific Objectives

24. Extricate a victim trapped in a motor vehicle. (Skill Sheet 8-II-2)25. Assist rescue teams. (Skill Sheet 8-II-3)


Maintaining Emergency Power/Lighting Equipment

• Review manufacturer’s service manual

• Inspect spark plugs, plug wires• If spark plug damaged or service

manual recommends, replace• Check equipment carburetor• Check fuel level, fill if necessary

(Continued)



• If fuel old, replace with fresh• Check oil level, replenish as

needed• Start generator; run any tests

identified in Operator Manual• Inspect all electrical cords

(Continued)



• Test operation of lighting equipment

• Replace light bulbs as necessary• Clean work area• Document maintenance on

appropriate forms/records


Powered Hydraulic Tools

• Operated by hydraulic fluid pumped through special high-pressure hoses

• Most powered by electric motors or two- or four-cycle gasoline engines

• May be portable• May be mounted on vehicle


Spreaders

• First tool available to fire/rescue service

• Capable of pushing, pulling

• Can produce tons of force at tips

• May spread as much as 32 inches (800 mm)


Shears

• Capable of cutting almost any metal object

• May be used to cut other materials

• Capable of producing tons of force

• Opening spread of approximately 7 inches (175 mm)


Combination Spreader/Shears

• Two arms with spreader tips• Inside edges of arms

equipped with cutting shears• Excellent for small rapid-

intervention vehicles, departments with limited resources

• Capabilities less than individual units


Extension Rams

• Straight pushing operations

• May be used for pulling

• Useful when pushing farther than shears’ maximum opening distance (Continued)


Extension Rams

• Extend from closed length of 3 feet (1 m) to around 5 feet (1.5 m)

• Open with tons of pushing force; close with ½ opening force


Manual Hydraulic Tools

DisadvantagesSlower than powered hydraulic

Limited range of operation

Labor-intensive

AdvantagesRelatively inexpensive

Light weight

Can be used in areas inaccessible to powered units


Porta-Power Tool System

• Operated by transmitting pressure from manual hydraulic pump through high-pressure hose to tool assembly

• Advantage — Operates in narrow places

• Disadvantage — Assembly/operation time-consuming


Hydraulic Jacks

• Designed for heavy lifting applications

• Excellent compression device for shoring, stabilizing operations

• Lifting capabilities up to 20 tons (18 tonnes [t])


Nonhydraulic Jacks

• Screw jacks– Extended/retracted by turning

threaded shaft– Check for wear after each use– Keep clean, lightly lubricated– Bar screw jacks– Trench screw jacks

(Continued)


Nonhydraulic Jacks

• Ratchet-lever jacks– Rigid I-beam with perforations in web

and a jacking carriage with two ratchets on geared side fitting around I-beam

– Least stable; can be dangerous– Can fail under heavy load


Cribbing

• Essential in many rescue operations

• Most commonly used to stabilize objects

• Wood• Plastic• Storage


Pneumatic (Air-Powered) Tools

• Air chisels

• Pneumatic nailers

(Continued)



• Impact tools

• Air knifes

(Continued)

Courtesy of Supersonic Air Knife, Inc.



• Air vacuums

• Whizzer saws


Tripods

• Create anchor points above manholes, other openings

• Allow rescuers to be safely lowered into confined spaces and rescuers/victims to be hoisted out


Winches

• Excellent pulling tools• Usually deployed faster, greater

travel/pulling distances, stronger than other lifting/pulling devices

• Usually behind front bumper of vehicles

(Continued)


Winches

• Most common drives– Electric– Hydraulic– Power take-off

• Pull by using chains/cables

(Continued)


Winches

• Should be equipped with handheld, remote-control devices

• Should be positioned as close to objects being pulled as possible


Come-Alongs

• Portable cable winches operated by manual ratchet levers

• Attached to secure anchor points• Lever rewinds cable• Common sizes 1-10 tonnes (0.9-

9.1 t)


Chains

• Used with winches and come-alongs• Only alloy steel chains should be

used in rescue work• Special alloys available for corrosive/

hazardous atmospheres• Proof coil chain not suitable for

rescue


Pneumatic Lifting Bags

• Give rescuers ability to lift/displace objects

• High-pressure bags• Low- and medium-

pressure bags• Lifting bag safety rules


Block and Tackle Systems

• Convert given amount of pull to working force greater than the pull

• Useful for lifting/pulling heavy loads

(Continued)


Block and Tackle Systems

• Block — Wooden or metal frame containing one or more pulleys called sheaves

• Tackle — Assembly of ropes used to multiply pulling force


Scene Size-Up

• Begins as soon as first emergency vehicle approaches accident scene

• Importance– Prevent injury to rescuers– Prevents further injury to victims– Clarifies required tasks– Identifies needed resources


Positioning Apparatus

• Officer in charge should position according to SOP/situation at hand

• Position close enough for equipment, supplies to be readily available

• Should not be so close that it might interfere with other on-scene activities (Continued)



• First-arriving engine should be positioned to provide protective barrier

• U.S. DOT recommends headlights be turned off, unless needed for scene illumination

• At least one traffic lane should be closed to nonemergency traffic (Continued)




Considerations When Arriving On Scene

• What are traffic hazards; what types of control devices needed?

• How many/what types of vehicles involved?

• Where/how are vehicles positioned?

• How many victims/what is their status? (Continued)


Considerations When Arriving On Scene

• Is there fire or potential?• Any hazardous materials involved?• Any utilities that may be damaged;

if so is this hazardous?• Need for additional resources?


Assess Immediate Area Around Vehicle

• Number of victims in/around• Severity of injuries• Condition of vehicle• Extrication tasks that may be

required• Hazardous condition


Assess Entire Area Around Scene

• Other vehicles not readily apparent• Victims thrown from vehicle• Damage to structures/utilities that

present hazard


Stabilizing the Vehicle

• Is vital to prevent further injury• Uses cribbing/shoring devices• Prevents sudden/unexpected

movement of vehicle• NEVER test stability by

pushing/pulling

(Continued)



• Prevent horizontal motion– Chock vehicles’ wheels– Do not rely on mechanical systems

• Prevent vertical motion– Jacks– Pneumatic lifting bags– Cribbing

(Continued)



• Rescuers should avoid placing parts of their bodies under vehicle

• Vehicles upside down, on side, or on slope should be stabilized using whatever means available

• Shut down electrical power in vehicle


Methods for Gaining Access to Victims in Vehicles

• Through normally operating door• Through window• By cutting away parts of vehicle

body


Potential Hazards of Wrecked Passenger Vehicles

• Oil- and air-filled struts• Fuel, other flammable liquids• High pressure tires• Contents of trunk or vehicle

interior


Dangers Associated with SRS, SIPS

• Accidental activation of SRS or SIPS– Reserve energy supply causes

systems to deploy even after battery disconnected

– Activities can activate systems– Prevention– Some systems in SIPS design do not

require power from vehicle’s electrical system


• Choose easiest route to gain access

• Rescuer with emergency medical training should enter vehicle to stabilize/protect patient

Actions for Patient Management

(Continued)


Actions for Patient Management

• Rescuers inside vehicle should wear PPE

• Treatment can be simultaneous with preparation for removal from vehicle

• Vehicle must be removed from around patient


Patient Removal

• Package patient properly

• Cover sharp edges

• Widen openings

• Pad edges


Laminated Safety Glass Characteristics

• Manufactured from two sheets bonded to sheet of plastic between

• Most commonly used for windshields, rear windows

(Continued)


Laminated Safety Glass Characteristics

• Produces long, pointed shards with sharp edges

• Stays attached to laminate and moves as unit when broken

• Keeps shards of glass from flying about


Tempered Glass Characteristics

• Most commonly used in side windows, rear windows

• Designed so small lines of fracture spread throughout and glass separates into many small pieces

• Eliminates long, pointed pieces; can still cause lacerations


Removing Laminated Glass

• Can seriously weaken vehicle body; leave intact if possible

• More complicated, time-consuming than removing tempered glass– Best method is with saw– Hand tools can be used

(Continued)


Removing Laminated Glass

• In older vehicles, total windshield removal should be performed before roof laid back or removed– Requires several rescuers– Passengers inside should be covered

with a tarp


Removing Tempered Glass

• Methods– Strike window with sharp, pointed

object in lower corner– Use spring-loaded center punch– Use standard center punch or Phillips

screwdriver– With pick-head axe or Halligan tool

(Continued)


Removing Tempered Glass

• Controlling broken glass– Apply sheet of self-adhesive contact

paper– Apply aerosol spray adhesive


Removing the Roof

• Designations A, B, C assigned to vehicle door posts from front to back– A-post is front post area– B-post is between front and rear doors

on four-door; nearest handle on two-door

– C-post is post nearest handle on rear door of four-door; rear roof post on two-door (Continued)


Removing the Roof

• Removal methods– Cut all roof posts; remove roof entirely– Cut front posts, cut relief notches in

roof at top of rear door openings, fold roof back

– Plastics do not bend; remove entire roof– Unibody vehicles are prone to collapse


Removing Doors

• Can be opened from handle side• May be removed by inserting

spreader in crack on hinge side• May be removed by cutting hinges,

breaking latch mechanism, compromising door locks

(Continued)


Removing Doors

• Plastic door panels may have to be removed to gain access to metal frame

• Interior plastic molding may need to be removed


Displacing Dashboard

• May be necessary to free patients pinned under steering wheel and/or wedged under dashboard

• Steps


Rescue From Collapsed Buildings

• Difficulty in reaching victim in structural collapse depends upon conditions

• In some cases, uninjured/slightly injured occupants can make their way to surface of rubble

• These should be helped first(Continued)


Rescue From Collapsed Buildings

• Next, rescue those lightly trapped by debris

• Rescuing the heavily trapped/seriously injured requires the services of technical rescue team


Pancake Collapse

• Possible in any building where failure of exterior walls results in upper floors and roof collapsing on top of each other

• Least likely to contain voids in which live victims can be found


V-Shaped Collapse

• Occurs when outer walls remain intact and upper floors/roof structure fail in middle

• Offers good chance of habitable void spaces along both outer walls


Lean-To Collapse

• Occurs when one outer wall fails while opposite wall intact

• Side of floor or roof assembly supported by failed wall drops to floor, forming triangular void


A-Frame Collapse

• Occurs when floor/roof assemblies on both sides of center wall collapse

• Offers good chance of habitable void spaces on both sides of center wall


Cantilever Collapse

• When one or more walls of a multistory building collapse leaving floors attached to/supported by remaining walls

(Continued)


Cantilever Collapse

• Offers good chance of habitable voids forming above/below supported ends of floors

• Least stable of all patterns; most vulnerable to secondary/subsequent collapse


Locating Hidden Victims

• Hailing — Calling out to elicit response from hidden victims

• Seismic/short-distance radar devices

• Electronically enhanced acoustic listening devices

(Continued)


Locating Hidden Victims

• Search cameras• Thermal imaging cameras• Search dogs


Environmental Hazards

• Damaged utilities• Atmospheric contamination• Hazardous materials

contamination• Darkness

(Continued)


Environmental Hazards

• Noise• Fire• Temperature extremes• Adverse weather conditions


Physical Hazards

• Unstable debris• Confined spaces• Exposed wiring/rebar• Heights


Shoring

• Means by which unstable structures or parts of structures can be stabilized

• Prevents sudden movement of objects too large to be moved in timely manner

(Continued)


Shoring

• Not intended to move heavy objects

• May involve air bags/jacks, cribbing, system of wooden braces


Rescue From Trench Cave-Ins

• Caused by trench construction• Sometimes would-be rescuers are

killed• Knowing how to make structure

safe for entrance and taking time to do so offer best chance of survival

(Continued)



• Rescue operations depend on making site as safe as possible

• Rescuers should not be sent into trench unless trained/equipped

(Continued)



• Rescue apparatus, nonessential personnel, equipment, spectators should be kept away

• Safety precautions should be taken


Confined Space Rescues

• Confined space– Large enough and configured so that

employee can bodily enter/perform assigned work

– Limited/restricted means of entry/exit– Not designed for continuous

employee occupancy

(Continued)



• Several common types• Should only be performed by

firefighters with specific training• Atmospheric hazards• Physical hazards• Command post, staging area

outside hot zone(Continued)



• Do not enter staging area until IAP developed/communicated

• Attendant must track personnel, equipment entering/leaving space

• Equipment• Lifeline

(Continued)



• O-A-T-H Method– O — One tug; OK– A — Two tugs; Advance– T — Three tugs; Take-up– H — Four tugs; Help

• Air monitoring devices• Accountability system


Rescue From Caves, Mines, Tunnels

• Most firefighters not trained/equipped to perform

• Must be done by those familiar with specific environment


Rescues Involving Electricity

• Safety precautions• Electrical wires on ground can be

dangerous without being touched• Ground gradient• Rescuers should stay away from

downed wires distance equal to one span between poles


Water and Ice Rescue

• Swimming pools, ponds, low-head dams

• Rescues– Victim stranded, floundering, has

been submerged for short time

• Recoveries– Victim submerged for long period of

time and likely deceased (Continued)


Water and Ice Rescue

• All appropriate PPE should be worn• Methods

– REACH– THROW– ROW– GO


Ice Rescue Considerations

• Because ice is thick, not necessarily strong

• Victims almost certainly suffering hypothermia

• Victims may not be able to help• Victim’s chances of survival

depend on how quickly out of water/into warmth


Ice Rescue Protocols

• Instruct victim NOT to try to get out of water until rescuer says so

• REACH• THROW• GO


Industrial Extrication

• Can be among most challenging rescue situations

• Once mechanism stabilized, power should be shut off

• If problem outside capability of team, outside expertise required


Elevator Rescue

• Usually not a true emergency• Usually involves elevators stalled

between floors• Firefighters should reassure

passengers and wait for a mechanic

(Continued)


Elevator Rescue

• Only an elevator mechanic should perform adjustments to mechanical system

• Elevator rescue may be necessary; should only be performed by trained personnel

• Communication with passengers essential


Escalator Rescue

• Stop switches usually on nearby wall, at base of escalator, at point close to handrail in newel base

• Activating switch stops stairs• Should be stopped during rescues• Escalator mechanic should be

requested when removing victims


Summary

• Firefighters must be capable of performing basic rescue and extrication operations as a member of a team.

(Continued)


Summary

• Firefighters must be willing to pursue specialized training in each of the rescue areas, including fireground search and rescue operations, vehicle extrication operations, and a variety of technical rescue operations.


Review Questions

1.Describe powered hydraulic tools used in rescue incidents.2.What are air chisels and pneumatic nailers commonly used for?3.List four safety rules when using pneumatic lifting bags.

(Continued)


Review Questions

4. Why is stabilizing vehicles involved in incidents important? 5.What are the common means of locating hidden victims in the rubble of a structural collapse?

Essentials of Fire Fighting, 5 th Edition Chapter 8 Rescue and Extrication Firefighter II.

Documents

vehicle slide

extrication firefighter

necessary continued

opening force slide

specific objectives

appropriate formsrecords

rescue operations

powered hydraulic tools