HEAVY RESCUE

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HEAVY RESCUE
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Aim

• The aim of this lesson is to make students aware
  of the hazards which may be encountered when
  dealing with HGVs involved in Road Traffic
  Accidents..

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Objectives

• By the end of this lesson students will be able
  to
• Describe the construction of an HGV and materials
  used
• Identify hazards associated with air sprung
  seating
• State the requirements for sleeper cabs
• State the problems associated with stabilizing an
  HGV
• State the method of performing a dash roll on an
  HGV..

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HEAVY RESCUE

• Vehicle rescue can be categorised into the
  following
• Light rescue - cars
• Medium rescue - small buses vans
• Heavy rescue - trucks H.G.V.s
• Ultra heavy rescue - buses and trains..

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HEAVY RESCUE

• Key design factors
• Flat front vehicles with small crumple zone
• Composite materials
• Possibly re-enforced
• Diversity in construction..

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Frame Construction
HSLA steel
Energy deflection systems
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HEAVY RESCUE

• Vehicle Divisions
• Straight Truck - Rigid (With Trailer)
• Rig - Articulated
• Speciality Truck..

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HEAVY RESCUE

• Vehicle knowledge
• Gain vehicle knowledge by attending
• Hauliers, Dealerships, courses, workshops etc
• Take note of
• Construction
• Engine shut off
• Sheet materials
• Sleeper cab etc..

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HEAVY RESCUE

• Vehicle construction - frames chassis
• Normal steel
• High strength Low Alloy
• Micro Alloy Steel
• Boron Steel
• Ultra High Strength Steel
• Ultra Ultra High Strength Steel..

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Steel crush resistant frame
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Frame Construction
Boron steel inside the A pillar and across
dash pelmet
Foam filling is also used for re-enforcing and
acoustics
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HEAVY RESCUE

• Glazing
• Bonded
• Possibility of rubber gaskets
• Laminated glass all round
• Insulation (temperature and sound)..

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Laminated or polycarbonate windscreen Maintenan
ce panel Auto-lock doors and
hatches
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HEAVY RESCUE

• Sheet materials
• steel
• fibreglass
• polyester
• composites..

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New body materials
Typical interior view
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HEAVY RESCUE

• Electrical system
• Large wiring looms concealed in dashboard
• Batteries
• Location / Isolation
• 24v
• 240v inverter for microwave etc..

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HEAVY RESCUE

• Fuel System
• Tanks
• Contents up to 800 litres/350 gal
• Multiple tanks
• Connected with shut off valves
• Diesel fuel is circulated and used as an
• engine coolant..

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HEAVY RESCUE

• Articulated vehicle brake hose identification
• Red - emergency trailer brakes
• Yellow - service brake
• Blue - secondary brakes (3 line system only)
• Couplings are self sealing once disconnected..

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HEAVY RESCUE

• Coupling system
• Fifth wheel
• King pin..

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HEAVY RESCUE

• 5th Wheel

An moveable 5th wheel is an option, these have
two release handles.
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HEAVY RESCUE

• Suspension, three parts
• Axle to Chassis
• Chassis to cab
• Cab to drivers seat..

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HEAVY RESCUE
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HEAVY RESCUE

• LGV PCV stability can prove difficult due to
• Height of vehicle chassis above ground
• Suspension
• Floating cabs
• Weight compensating seats
• Decorative bodywork covering chassis..

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HEAVY RESCUE

• Cab height can be problematic, access may be
  gained by
• Scaffold
• Ladder
• Another vehicle, etc..

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HEAVY RESCUE

• Commercial Vehicle Seating
• Seats manufactured for Commercial vehicles have
  been designed with driver comfort in mind, these
  seats have many features such as
• Manual or automatic weight compensation
• Heated cushions
• Adjustable Back Head rests etc..

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HEAVY RESCUE

• A recent development of interest to
  fire-fighters, is controls for the damping,
  inflation/deflation of the seat pneumatics
• Once the seat has been chocked blocked, the
  air release control can be used by the rescuers
  to deflate the seats pneumatics
• This action secures the seat from further
  movement, without the need to burst the seats air
  support bag
• On some HGVs air is automatically dumped from
  the seats when the ignition is turned off..

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HEAVY RESCUE

• Weight controlled seats fall into two categories
• Mechanical (manual)
• Pneumatic (automatic)..

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HEAVY RESCUE

• Mechanical
• Manually operated by the driver, by rotating the
  control to show their body weight
• The weight adjuster varies spring tension within
  the seat
• This type of seat poses no problem operationally..

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HEAVY RESCUE

• Pneumatic
• Automatic operation
• Relies on compressed air supply
• 90-150psi
• Supplied from either Auxiliary or Braking systems
• Range of movement Approx. 75mm to 100mm
• Can be locked in the neutral position by the
  driver, which prevents the automatic
  operation/adjustment
• New vehicles have an air release button on the
  seat, though the seat needs to be blocked before
  use..

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HEAVY RESCUE

• Operational Procedure
• Switch off engine
• Chock vehicle wheels
• Locate and drain compressed air reservoirs
• Cut away rubber skirt at base of seat
• Use wooden wedges to secure seat position
• Puncture airbag with knife/screwdriver etc
• Check seat is secure..

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HEAVY RESCUE
Pneumatic seat lowering raising
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HEAVY RESCUE

• Steering
• Adjustable height
• Adjustable depth
• Airbag may be fitted
• Large diameter steering wheel..

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HEAVY RESCUE

• Steering Wheel Release
• A full range of movement is available
• This mechanism can be helpful in effecting an
  extrication of a casualty
• May be used (with extreme care) to release
  pressure on a trapped driver..

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HEAVY RESCUE
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HEAVY RESCUE
Steering released by drivers foot
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HEAVY RESCUE

• Sleeper cab location (HGV)
• Possibility of Multiple units - behind or above
  the driver
• Different entry points
• Different positions..

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HEAVY RESCUE

• Sleeping Compartments (PSV)
• Department of transport state that sleeper cabs
  must
• Be sited between the axles
• Have communications with the driver
• Usually located beneath the rear stairs..
• Have two separate access/egress points

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HEAVY RESCUE
Internal access
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HEAVY RESCUE
External access
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SIX PHASES

• Scene assessment safety
• Stabilisation initial access
• Glass management
• Space creation
• Full access
• Immobilisation Extrication..

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HEAVY RESCUE

• Scene assessment Safety
• Type of truck
• Type of construction/load
• Position of truck
• Other vehicles involved
• Shut off engine..

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HEAVY RESCUE

• Scene assessment Safety cont..
• Type of load (drivers papers/trem-cards etc)
• Extreme care must be taken if trailer rear doors
  are to be opened where a truck is on its side,
  rolled etc due to load shifting
• Locate vehicle batteries
• General observations - sleeper cab, fuel type
  etc..

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HEAVY RESCUE

• Stabilisation Initial Access
• Chassis suspension - consider under run
  protection
• Cab suspension
• Driver seat suspension
• Avoid shifts of loads- weight distribution
• Support structure on the corners
• Consider heavy lifting equipment..

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HEAVY RESCUE

• Stabilisation Initial Access cont..
• Use suitable platform to gain access/work from
• Be aware of specific dangers in the cab
• Coffee maker
• TV
• Air-conditioning/heating/ 220v electrics
• Possibility of weapons on European vehicles..

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HEAVY RESCUE

• Initial Access
• Whilst considering problems associated with cab
  height, contact can be made with casualty (for
  airway management Cspine immobilisation) via
  windows, doors etc
• However consideration should be given to
  accessing the casualty through removal of the cab
  rear panel
• Sometimes glazed, these panels often take only
  seconds to remove, allowing access for rescuers
  and a possible extrication path..

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HEAVY RESCUE
Rear Cab Access
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HEAVY RESCUE

• Glass Management
• Bonded laminated screen
• Possible side laminated glazing
• 3 methods of dealing with glass
• PPE..

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HEAVY RESCUE
Bonded screen on LGV
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HEAVY RESCUE
Bonded quarter-light
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HEAVY RESCUE

• Space Creation Full access
• Displacement of dash board
• High A-pillar cut
• Low A-pillar cut
• Dashboard cut
• Note strong structures
• Door Removal..

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Strategic cuts
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Controlled Ramming
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Space Making Techniques
Dash Displacement Strategic cuts
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Opening up the rear of the cab (vehicle on its
side)
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Cut section folded out
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HEAVY RESCUE

• Immobilisation Extrication
• Bridge the height gap
• Recognise the difficulty in patient handling due
  to height of cab
• Attach to spine board as appropriate
• Utilise available manpower..

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ANY QUESTIONS?