Many of you medics at whatever level you maybe have seen extrication techniques by some form of firefighter during your training and obviously need to repeat it in some form in a hostile environment. Now no-one can make you an RTC Tech Rescue Operator during a Medical course, hell i'm not and I cut people out of cars for a living. But what I can offer and I offer this to all freely is a good tactical plan.
In the fire service world we operate on the side of safety by doing scene assessments, vehicle and casualty stabilisation, glass management, space creation and full access (taking the roof off) and then extrication, you guys on the other hand don't have this luxury as you could be under contact or have IED damage to your vehicle or have just had an RTC.
So what to do and where to start, well theres nothing wrong in doing the same as I just mentioned.
Scene assessment... well thats up to your situation if out of contact secure the area, check the windscreen for bullet holes or ejected boddies and do a 360 of the vehicles involved checking for airbags deployed and not deployed (both are just as dangerous and for the love of god keep the commms out the way or even off.
Stabilisation... well you won't have our fancy kit so flatten the tyres with a knife rambo not bullets and chock them with whatever you can but keep out of the way of feet and doors, if it looks like it could roll prop it up but be carefull of getting crushed. Once the vehicle is not moving get a medic in and get a patient survey done, if it critical get them out fast but controlled on an improvised stretched or long board if you got one and make sure you put a neck collar on first and a K.E.D if you got one.
Glass Management... again you don't have fancy gear but puttting a blanket over a window before breaking it ain't rocket sciene and trust me your casualty will thankyou, but if you can wind down a window then why break it at all, windscreen are normally toughned glass thats bonded to the car but its alway worth while checking as land rovers still have sealed windscreens which means you only have to whip out the seal and the whole thing pops out in a oner otherwise don't waste time try to cut it unless you have a glass saw.
Space creation... a ratchet strap and bolt croppers are all you need to take a door out of the equation, simply open it up and cut the retaing bar with the croppers and use the ratchets strap to pry it open. Unfortunately you'll never get full access without a fire crew but you can cut out the Bposts and allow yourself some room without burning up too much time.
Now all this may seem a little far fetched, but you don't have to do all of this to save someone, remember the key things, keep commm's away and watch for airbags, remeber these are your vehicles so check the owners manual and learn where they are (the fewer the better for a rescue) get the vehicle stable and remember it a glorified tin can all you want is the contents out of it so who cares what damage you do.
Extrication... If you got a paramedic in your sand pit they'll know the best methods of doing this and they can all be rehersed with out damaging your vehicles so grab them and make them show you while your in the safety of your compound.
A few things that can help and just a reminder I only work as a fireman I don't advertise for no-one.
A "Res Q Me" tool... this has a glass hammer and a seat belt cutter that will fit on a keyring (I own one and have used it loads), but remeber never cut a seatbelt at 90 degrees always cut them at an angle, and use it to cut the casualties clothing too.
A "Halligan Bar".. it'll fit in your boot and looks like a tasty weapon and will get you into anything with a bit of practise.
A pair of "Bolt croppers"... the sort stubby ones will do after all most of you are big old burly blokes.
A "Bag buster"... this goes over a steering wheel and will save your face if your the medic doing the survey as most airbags will redeploy these days, be sure to fit it from outside of the vehicle and make sure its in the top of you medikit as its the first thing you'll need.
A "Rip saw" (dewalt, black and decker, who cares but you want a metal blade and it to be battery powered)... these can be used to cut B posts and create more space but please check the owners manuals first as there can be loads of nasties such as pyrotechnic charges for seatbell tensioners and airbag curtains hidden inside, if its inside your model vehicle don't use the saw ever you'll only create more casualties.
A "K.E.D"... any paramedic knows what one is, they are ace and can be used with very little trainng required and even self taught from a manual, these where originally designed for the race car industry and the idea stolen by fireifghters to use at RTC's. These are great because they pack small and can be used with long baords, scoop stretchers and the likes... many RTC Casualties are being walked into ambulances with these fitted now at the paramedics request.
These are brand names and as I said I don't do advertising, but lets face it you'll never find what your looking for if I don't use the branded names.
In the fire service world we operate on the side of safety by doing scene assessments, vehicle and casualty stabilisation, glass management, space creation and full access (taking the roof off) and then extrication, you guys on the other hand don't have this luxury as you could be under contact or have IED damage to your vehicle or have just had an RTC.
So what to do and where to start, well theres nothing wrong in doing the same as I just mentioned.
Scene assessment... well thats up to your situation if out of contact secure the area, check the windscreen for bullet holes or ejected boddies and do a 360 of the vehicles involved checking for airbags deployed and not deployed (both are just as dangerous and for the love of god keep the commms out the way or even off.
Stabilisation... well you won't have our fancy kit so flatten the tyres with a knife rambo not bullets and chock them with whatever you can but keep out of the way of feet and doors, if it looks like it could roll prop it up but be carefull of getting crushed. Once the vehicle is not moving get a medic in and get a patient survey done, if it critical get them out fast but controlled on an improvised stretched or long board if you got one and make sure you put a neck collar on first and a K.E.D if you got one.
Glass Management... again you don't have fancy gear but puttting a blanket over a window before breaking it ain't rocket sciene and trust me your casualty will thankyou, but if you can wind down a window then why break it at all, windscreen are normally toughned glass thats bonded to the car but its alway worth while checking as land rovers still have sealed windscreens which means you only have to whip out the seal and the whole thing pops out in a oner otherwise don't waste time try to cut it unless you have a glass saw.
Space creation... a ratchet strap and bolt croppers are all you need to take a door out of the equation, simply open it up and cut the retaing bar with the croppers and use the ratchets strap to pry it open. Unfortunately you'll never get full access without a fire crew but you can cut out the Bposts and allow yourself some room without burning up too much time.
Now all this may seem a little far fetched, but you don't have to do all of this to save someone, remember the key things, keep commm's away and watch for airbags, remeber these are your vehicles so check the owners manual and learn where they are (the fewer the better for a rescue) get the vehicle stable and remember it a glorified tin can all you want is the contents out of it so who cares what damage you do.
Extrication... If you got a paramedic in your sand pit they'll know the best methods of doing this and they can all be rehersed with out damaging your vehicles so grab them and make them show you while your in the safety of your compound.
A few things that can help and just a reminder I only work as a fireman I don't advertise for no-one.
A "Res Q Me" tool... this has a glass hammer and a seat belt cutter that will fit on a keyring (I own one and have used it loads), but remeber never cut a seatbelt at 90 degrees always cut them at an angle, and use it to cut the casualties clothing too.
A "Halligan Bar".. it'll fit in your boot and looks like a tasty weapon and will get you into anything with a bit of practise.
A pair of "Bolt croppers"... the sort stubby ones will do after all most of you are big old burly blokes.
A "Bag buster"... this goes over a steering wheel and will save your face if your the medic doing the survey as most airbags will redeploy these days, be sure to fit it from outside of the vehicle and make sure its in the top of you medikit as its the first thing you'll need.
A "Rip saw" (dewalt, black and decker, who cares but you want a metal blade and it to be battery powered)... these can be used to cut B posts and create more space but please check the owners manuals first as there can be loads of nasties such as pyrotechnic charges for seatbell tensioners and airbag curtains hidden inside, if its inside your model vehicle don't use the saw ever you'll only create more casualties.
A "K.E.D"... any paramedic knows what one is, they are ace and can be used with very little trainng required and even self taught from a manual, these where originally designed for the race car industry and the idea stolen by fireifghters to use at RTC's. These are great because they pack small and can be used with long baords, scoop stretchers and the likes... many RTC Casualties are being walked into ambulances with these fitted now at the paramedics request.
These are brand names and as I said I don't do advertising, but lets face it you'll never find what your looking for if I don't use the branded names.