Richard Marinucci

The automobile has come a long way since it was first manufactured on the assembly line pioneered by Henry Ford. It was a very basic machine and had relatively few parts.

There were no options, and even the color, black, was the only one available. In fact, Henry Ford is credited with the statement that buyers could have any color they wanted, as long as they chose black! Today, vehicles have many options and are regulated by the government to provide better mileage as well as safety components. Both have an effect on extrication should there be a crash, requiring extra effort.

Fuel Types

Early autos ran on gasoline. Now there are vehicles that use diesel fuel, battery power, natural gas, and gas/battery hybrids. There are also cars being developed that operate on hydrogen gas. Each of these can present a challenge to firefighters and create varying obstacles during extrication operations. Just this aspect of automobiles presents more information that firefighters must know to be successful and safe with their operations. Fortunately, there are many resources available to fire departments, and access through the Internet allows each organization to gain the information it needs. What are not provided are the time and plans to use this information in a quality training program. Those are left up to departments to figure out.

The fuel a vehicle uses will affect responders’ decision-making processes. Generally speaking, there needs to be an initial assessment to determine if the fuel type will affect the operation and safety. In most cases, if the vehicle is powered by a liquid or gas and there is no leak, then extrication can proceed without immediate concern. Responders should constantly monitor and note any changes in conditions. If the vehicle is powered by electricity, there should be more consideration so that responders note any potential electrical issues that could cause harm to responders and the victims in the vehicle. Regarding this, organizations and their personnel should routinely review the challenges presented by electric and hybrid vehicles during extrication. These vehicles are not large in number compared to gasoline engines, so the frequency of events is low. This makes training more important than ever.

Safety Features

Automobile makers have added many safety features that have improved the survivability rate and lowered the injury rate of those involved in crashes. This is good but challenges the fire service to be even more competent in its skill level for extrication. To have a positive outcome, minimal extrication time is necessary so the injured can receive treatment as quickly as possible. Anything that contributes to a delay must be addressed to provide the best possible service. Vehicle construction knowledge is essential, and continual changes in the industry present new and unique challenges.

Vehicles have built-in safety features designed to restrain passengers and also keep the vehicle from collapsing, caving, or basically falling apart. The vehicles are constructed with better materials. The steel used is high strength, making cutting the steel more difficult. There must be better tools to address this and also better knowledge on the part of the firefighters so they know when they are likely to encounter these circumstances. They also need to explore training opportunities with cars of this vintage or at least consider practicing with scrap metal so they appreciate what they likely will face.

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