This album looks at how the fire brigade responds to a collision where a driver
is trapped in their car. This is part of an exercise so the driver is simulating
being trapped and injured.
Two fire appliances arrive at the scene of
the collision. A blue Vauxhall Astra's driver is trapped in his car. The
fire brigade waste no time in collecting their cutting equipment from the
rescue tender to use of the vehicle. One of the firefighters assesses the casualty's
injuries and reassures him.
Within a few seconds the car is secured
with chocks and the 'jaws of life' cutting equipment begins cutting through
the roof pillars. The casulaty is shielded from and flying debris with a
board. On cars equipped with a steering wheel airbag, specially designed
boards are fixed over them in case they fire.
While the cutting continues, one
firefighter uses brute force to bend the doors as far back as possible to
aid access to the injured driver. The team works in almost total silence;
everyone knowing what has to be done.
An ambulance arrives on the scene. The
paramedic gets out and collects equipment from the back. Click the thumbnail
to watch it arriving.
Four-and-a-half minutes after the fire
brigade arrived at the car, the roof is removed. Excellent access to the casualty
is now available and he can be extricated with the minimum amount of
movement.
The driver is slid out of the rear of the
car using a spinal board and is carried to the ambulance.
The firefighters help the casualty into the
back of the single-crewed ambulance and then begin to tidy the scene. The
total time from the firefighter first speaking to the casualty to them being
placed in the back of the ambulance is seven minutes.