Crash Rescue Challenge

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Just in case anyone is at a loose end tomorrow , the Scottish Crash Rescue Challenge is taking place at Strathclyde Fire & Rescue Headquarters ( my place of work ) , Bothwell Road , Hamilton ML3 0EA tomorrow .

Fire crews from each of the Scottish brigades will be competing to see who can extricate a casualty from a crashed car in the quickest time ( and without mistakes ) .

This really is an amazing event to witness , and is open to the public , completely free of charge ( free parking too ! ) . Anyone interested will be most welcome to turn up , I'll be there taking photographs .

The first cars will be getting cut up from approx 09:30 onwards , and the event will run on most of the day .

As an example , here are some pictures from a previous event . I'll post over several replies as there are more than seven pictures .

 

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[wemorgan]

Thanks.

If I were more local I'd really like to watch this.

Out of interest do the cutters as easily cut through more modern car's A & B pillars even though ultra high strength steels are used?

 

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[Dieselman]

Thanks.

If I were more local I'd really like to watch this.

Same here..
Can the spectators throw bricks and bottles to make it more realistic.?

Out of interest do the cutters as easily cut through more modern car's A & B pillars even though ultra high strength steels are used?

The latest method is to cut through the outer metal with shears then use a saw on the high strength inserts.

 

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I can't guarantee that there will be any Mercs being cut up tomorrow , but you will see a variety of techniques used to cut casualties out of cars and be amazed at the skills of all the teams involved .

If there was sufficient interest , I could probably arrange a club visit on a training night when we could have our own demo of this being done and the opportunity to ask questions .

To answer the question asked above - the cutters are powerful enough to cope with any vehicle I've seen presented to them and we get all sorts !

 

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Yes , we use reciprocating saws and a variety of other tools to cut with - the crews have a choice of using whatever they feel most appropriate .

One of the biggest hazards is the use of pyrotechnics in airbags , pretensioners etc , both for crews and 'casualties' .

 

[crockers]

why is the orange cloth laid over the car? Is it a privacy screen?

 

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They are 'sharps protection' .

The orange cloths have magents sewn in and are put over protruding sharp edges to protect against injuries from these .

Sometimes we do erect a 'salvage sheet' - a large green tarpaulin - to screen off for privacy in the event of fatalities or when medical staff are working and there are onlookers .

 

[st4]

Same here..
Can the spectators throw bricks and bottles to make it more realistic.?
.

Don't tell me that awful practice is rife down south

It really narks me this particular thing of neds attacking fire crews and worse still is that they don't turn the water cannon on the neds back. Tell you in Taylors Britain things would be different.

 

[rf065]

In case you get an S class to cut up.............................

http://www.firegraphics.org/ERG/Mercedes Rescue Guide S Class.pdf

Do any other manufacturers provide this information?

Russ

 

[Dieselman]

THIS guide covers all models and even tells Fire crews where to cut by indicators in the windscreen.

I don't think other manufacturers do this to this level.

 

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Volvo , as you might expect , liase closely with rescuers . They regularly send engineers out to explain new developments in automotive safety and supply cars with transparent panels to show the innards for training purposes .

I'm not sure how far other manufacturers go in this direction , though .

 

[Dieselman]

and supply cars with transparent panels to show the innards for training purposes .
I'm not sure how far other manufacturers go in this direction , though .

Rinspeed seem to have accepted the challenge...

eXaxis

 

[wemorgan]

I quite like Volvo's see through A-pillar concept too: