Rescuing People from Wrecked Vehicles
County firefighters use new E-Draulic tools to rescue a patient trapped in this wrecked vehicle in 2017.
In 2017, the County purchased new and improved E-Draulic tools that help first responders rescue people trapped inside vehicles. These battery-powered tools use hydraulics and are significantly faster and have more flexibility than previously used tools. The new tools also have a spreading force of 134,900 pounds and cutting strength 77% greater than previous tools.
The tools were put to use immediately in 2017. The week the tools arrived, County firefighters performed one particularly harrowing rescue operation.
County firefighters responded to a traffic collision and found that a woman had been impaled by a pipe and was trapped in her vehicle. The firefighters used the new extraction tools to rescue her and she was quickly transported to the hospital. Once the patient arrived at the hospital, County firefighters had to cut the pipe shorter to allow the doctor to remove the pipe during surgery. This procedure would not have been possible without the new E-Draulic tools.
Using these tools continues to dramatically increase County Fire’s ability to successfully rescue people trapped in vehicles in SLO County.
The tools were put to use immediately in 2017. The week the tools arrived, County firefighters performed one particularly harrowing rescue operation.
County firefighters responded to a traffic collision and found that a woman had been impaled by a pipe and was trapped in her vehicle. The firefighters used the new extraction tools to rescue her and she was quickly transported to the hospital. Once the patient arrived at the hospital, County firefighters had to cut the pipe shorter to allow the doctor to remove the pipe during surgery. This procedure would not have been possible without the new E-Draulic tools.
Using these tools continues to dramatically increase County Fire’s ability to successfully rescue people trapped in vehicles in SLO County.