Tested automotive rescue tool tonight

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I've also seen rescue videos of cars going underwater - given the location of the engine, they often flip and land on the roof - the power may work - but very handy to have a rescue tool of some sort as well!
 
agreed!

I didn't mean to sound like I was discounting the usefulness of rescue tools....

I just thought the bit about the electric holding up was very interesting
 
Remember when Dateline did a story about the center punch...and ways to get out of your car that is submerged.. You guys pretty much covered what was on the show. Except for the fact that a Glock was a alternative if the center punch didn't work !!
 
I think you guys should worry more about how you will spend the millions of $$$ from your lottery win. I think you have a better chance of winning the lottery than needing a tool to break a window to save you life. JMHO By the way what would you buy if you won the lottery? :)
 
After reading all of the posts here, I believe Scott has summarized it well with his comment...

>> I think a spring center-punch and sturdy hook-blade knife would be cheap, effective, and take up little space.

I believe a single device that does just this has been invented by Smith & Wesson. They call it a "SW-911 1st Response." Don't much care for the name, but I would suggest anyone looking for a workable solution have a look at this tool. It is well built, and can be found at numerous discount outlets and on eBay (naturally...).

http://store.smith-wesson.com/store/index.php3?cat=293429&item=831525&sw_activeTab=4

These "knives" list for $63.00, but shop around. I've seen them much cheaper... ~$30-40 from some dealers & on eBay.

Cheers, R -
 
The Glock is an idea, but again - where is it after the vehicle's been sideswiped, bounced into and over a guardrail, rolled a few times down the ravine and lands in water? You've got seconds - only seconds to get your head on straight, release belts from passengers in varying states of consciousness and pain, blow out a window and exit a vehicle that's sinking. Forget the Glock unless you're able to leave a handgun permanently affixed in the vehicle. Atop that, the sound of a round going off in the confines of a vehicle is going to further panic occupants plus it will not help with the belts. I carry one, but it's not a reliable plan. Ya gotta have a plan.

DougM
 
[glow=black,2,2] I would consider sewing a pocket into every seatbelts lap portion ... a firmly velcroed-flapped pouch meant for housing centre punches . Orientate the family to the usage of their own punch . Including How , when , where ( on the window itself ) , etc ... follow this up with a trip to the junkyard with evryone and they're punches to practice . Hell you may even want to create some replication drill . Why not ? As Doug mentioned your orientation will be screwed and the car will be a wreck . Maybe place a bag over the persons head , spin them around a little .... provoke them to get really agitated ( replicating the adrenaline dump ) ... by the time thats done you want them to be working on guts and instint .. no room for inner calm in this type of drill ... throw a bucket of cold water in their face , seat belt them in .. and while they're still hooded get them to pull off a punch you've taped to the seatbelt .. punch the window .. and then disengage the belt , and extricate themselves onto the ground .. holding their breath all the while during extrication .

If that all sounds over the top .. tough s*** ! Your life might depend on it . Any medic thats worked helicopters will tell you that they had to do a dunk test .. strapped into a mock helicopter .. slammed into a pool full gear , blindfolded .. copter rotates around .. and you have to find your way out ...

Bottom line if you want to survive a scenario , do your utmost to try and replicate it .. the adrenaline , the fight-flight , lack of fine motor control etc . Then try and work from that forwards towards a solution ... and pressure test each alternative in earnest ; looking for weaknesses .

Good luck [/glow]

[glow=black,2,2]T Y L E R

[color=0000FF]T[/color][color=0008FF]O[/color][color=0010FF]Y[/color][color=0018FF]O[/color][color=0020FF]T[/color][color=0028FF]A [/color][color=0030FF]F[/color][color=0038FF]Z[/color][color=0040FF]J[/color][color=0048FF]8[/color][color=0050FF]0 [/color][color=0058FF]C[/color][color=0060FF]R[/color][color=0068FF]U[/color][color=0070FF]I[/color][color=0078FF]S[/color][color=0080FF]E[/color][color=0088FF]R[/color][color=0090FF]S [/color][color=0098FF]R[/color][color=00A0FF]O[/color][color=00A8FF]C[/color][color=00B0FF]K [/color][color=00B8FF]![/color][color=00C0FF]![/color][color=00C8FF]![/color][/glow]
 
[glow=black,2,2]Rick ,

Let me take a stab at that question , by stating .. 'maybe' . In my dozen or so years on the job , rollovers have been some of the most boring calls I've gotten . Almost always it's a mid sized sedan , 2-5 occupants .. all up and out of the vehicle ; standing roadside . I remember one back in 1990 .. side of the QEW hwy . A small sedan , five Japanese tourists ... all standing on the roadside . All refused service . Then we get called back on the way to lunch .. I go up to the guy that called me back and asked what the problem was .. he says .. "I need some cweeem for my fingar !" . I nearly clocked him ... but instead broke out laughing , and drove off ...

Rollovers seem to go either way .. either extreme . Positively speaking , people walk away , unscratched ... but I find others thrown and squashed .. bodies littered across the embankment . Makes triaging easy when they're dead already .. :D

Then there's the moment when I spy a baby seat in the back bench , and wonder if it was empty already , or if the infant is struggling for life in the bushes somewhere ... ???[/glow]

[glow=black,2,2]T Y L E R

[color=0000FF]T[/color][color=0008FF]O[/color][color=0010FF]Y[/color][color=0018FF]O[/color][color=0020FF]T[/color][color=0028FF]A [/color][color=0030FF]F[/color][color=0038FF]Z[/color][color=0040FF]J[/color][color=0048FF]8[/color][color=0050FF]0 [/color][color=0058FF]C[/color][color=0060FF]R[/color][color=0068FF]U[/color][color=0070FF]I[/color][color=0078FF]S[/color][color=0080FF]E[/color][color=0088FF]R[/color][color=0090FF]S [/color][color=0098FF]R[/color][color=00A0FF]O[/color][color=00A8FF]C[/color][color=00B0FF]K [/color][color=00B8FF]![/color][color=00C0FF]![/color][color=00C8FF]![/color][/glow]
 
I'm not familiar with the SW tool, that open blade looks dangerous for a disoriented and panicked victim. The mention of a trigger suggests the punch spring needs to be compressed and manually released. The automatic center punch I'm familiar with compresses and releases the spring and punch with one push into a surface. Simpler is better, especially in emergencies. This is my hook blade knife, issued for cutting straps, harnesses, parachute lines. Similar blades are attached to most survival rafts and most military parachutes (I'm not familiar with civilian parachutes). It's pretty pilot/idiot proof, hard to damage yourself or your raft. It's often sewn into pouches on parachute risers and rafts, but I'd prefer it mounted to the truck in this situation, I think it'd get in the way of the belt retractor. Maybe on the upper right side of the driver's seat?
 
[quote author=bad_religion_au link=board=2;threadid=11490;start=msg105899#msg105899 date=1076980777]
i don't want to appear stupid, but can't you unbuckle a seatbelt?
[/quote]
Damn, he's right! Actually they tend to jamb at the worst moments, are hard to unbuckle under tension, or you can't reach the buckle while supporting yourself from falling to the ceiling, or the buckle is under you or a car part, or you can't reach around a victim to unbuckle them, etc.
 
ok, just wondering. i haven't really had much experience with car wrecks (thank god) knock on wood. this isn't really something that comes up much in australia.

i would really like to see the data and tests though, because i am wondering if this comes up in the USA due to people fighting against compulsory seat belts, or if they fail to mention it in australia, where they push down our throats the importance of seatbelts. a problem such as the seat belt restraining the accident victim would put a hole in their push... hmm
 
As people have pointed out, (hopefully) the 'need' for one of these is quite limited - ideally it sits nicely mounted in your truck for its entire life gathering dust - sort of like house insurance.

Maybe you need it sometime, or, just as importantly, someone else needs your help. You've got people like Tyler and other EMS that could probably use one of these once a week (or month) and then others (like me) that may only need something like this one or two times in my life.

In my case, a small fire inside my truck, behind a kick pannel (see sun roof leak :'() - with my kids (2) strapped into 5 point harnesses, I'm not going to be f'ing about unbuckling them if the truck is on fire. Second case, coming across a bad, multiple injury car accident and no east way to access the person that needed the most help.

Cheap insurance and a great way to break into your house when you've left your keys inside and the spare is inside as well :-[
 
[quote author=bad_religion_au link=board=2;threadid=11490;start=msg105923#msg105923 date=1076983590]
ok, just wondering. i haven't really had much experience with car wrecks (thank god) knock on wood. this isn't really something that comes up much in australia.

i would really like to see the data and tests though, because i am wondering if this comes up in the USA due to people fighting against compulsory seat belts, or if they fail to mention it in australia, where they push down our throats the importance of seatbelts. a problem such as the seat belt restraining the accident victim would put a hole in their push... hmm
[/quote]

According to statistics from the Au. gov, Au. had 8.7 roadway fatalaties per 100,000 population, here in WA state, US it is 11.1 per 100,000 population, so we do have more, but you still got plenty!

From my experience as a Firefighter/Paramedic, I would rather be wearing a seatbelt than not, there are few, if any exceptions. In the water situation we are talking about, you will very likely be unconscious or seriously injured (and unable to help yourself) by the time you are in the water, if you don't have your seatbelt on, you still may be hurt with the seatbelt on, but your chances are much better. Bottom line: In real life, you are better off with a seatbelt in almost every situation.

One more pet peeve, I don't like people who only think of themselves, and don't wear a seat belt. If you don't have one on you are more likely to be thrown around (or out of) the passenger compartment and be unable to provide any control to your vehicle after the initial collision, possibly causing other vehicles to become involved or make injuries worse (or maybe not be able to steer away from the edge of that bridge, over that water we were talking about :-\ )

Regarding window punches, here is the one I have for work, it has a seatbelt cutter/safety knife as well, only $8.95:
RQM1IMAGE2.jpg

http://www.thefirestore.com/store/product.cfm?pID=695
 
the lower road tolls come at a price in australia. you can get done for speeding if you are 1km/hr over the limit.

pretty s*** when legally your speedo can be out by 10% either way, which is 10km/hr at 100km/hr.

also all our road deaths are claimed to be speed related... nothing to do with the poor condition of the roads (due to low density of people for size of continent) or the fact that our license test proceedures basically involve a trip around the block and a parking test... in an econobox, then you can step out and drive a 4000kg truck with 3000kg trailer, or drive a highish powered sports car....

so really only 1km/hr over the speed limit must be the cause.

i agree with seatbelts completely... can't see how my clasp would be crushed (there is nothing around it) but can see the jamming point.

as for cutting through 5 point harnesses, don't they have only one buckle (that all 5 points meet at) so wouldn't unbuckling be faster than cutting two or more straps to free the kid? unless it jammed...
 
Those of you who think that a handgun would be a good tool for this better wait for the car to fill up with water or be wearing some good ear protection when they fire it off in an enclosed vehicle. I would guess hollow points would be best for your own safety.

I would also be leary of leaving a loaded weapon in the truck while driving around and/or leaving it somewhere - but then again, I am from the Northeast ...not exactly the country.

centerpunch here, as we have been since we got them fancy electric windows in 92.
 
The question about releasing the seatbelt makes a good point. I'm less worried about the adults in the vehicle as it is a simple seatbelt. It's getting the kids out FAST that was the main impetus. Child car seats vary in the design, belt orientations, and releases unlike standardized car seatbelts. One we have has the car seatbelt OVER the entire child and seat, plus the child is secured with a 5 point harness to the child car seat. The car's seatbelt latch is blocked way down low, and that particular seat's harness is kinda fiddly and complex. To me, the solution is 3 seconds of cutting and they're free. Not one arm still in a loop of webbing caught on the winter coat they're wearing (happens when you merely unbuckle them), or me frantically trying to find the releases while a bleeding panicked kid also has his hands all over them. Free, as in now I can blow a window and toss them out to my wife before the current rolls the truck over, etc.

Lots of scenarios, but what little emergency training I've had and taught myself indicates that the best strategies in panic situations are 1) simple, and 2) reliable.

My wish is that all the OTHER anally rententive preparation I do will help us avoid whatever harm might cross our path in the first place. And that the tool will indeed collect dust and sit there for years on end.
 
How about my Leatherman?

It and I are "Joined for life" :D

As it is stainless, I can even shower with it. :flipoff2:

All kidding aside, the bottom line is this:

Think about how you are going to deal with an emergency BEFORE you are truly faced with it. "Forwarned is forarmed"

D-
 
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