Unit 52Vehicle Extrication and Rescue Operations

Student Resource Materials

National Education Standard: The Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) will be able to demonstrate a simple depth and breadth of understanding and ability to perform safe vehicle extrication.

Unit 52, Handout 1

Student Outline

I.Introduction

II.Phases of the Rescue

A.Establishing Command

B.Scene Size-up

1.Confined Space Rescue

C.Management

1.Access

a.Residence

2.Rescue

D.Treatment

E.Transport

III.Vehicle Extrication

A.Preparation

B.Command

1.Perimeters

C.Scene Size-up

1.Hybrid Vehicles

D.Stabilization

E.Access

F.Prioritization

1.Heavy Rescue

a.Patient Safety

G.Assessment

H.Transportation

IV.Water Rescue

A.Establishing Command

B.Scene Size-up

C.Management

1.Access

2.Shore-Based Rescue—Flat Water

3.Shore-Based Rescue—Swift Water

D.Treatment and Transport

V.Search and Rescue

A.Establishing Command

B.Scene Size-up

C.Access

1.Hasty Search

D.Rescue

E.Management

F.Transportation

VI.Conclusion

Unit 52, Student Handout 2

Key Concepts Revisited

  1. Rescue is an attempt to help another person whom is incapable of freeing himself or herself from confinement.
  2. The phases common to all rescues begin with establishing command.
  3. Utilization of specialized resources may require a unified command.
  4. Scene size-up
  5. Environmental assessment
  6. Confined space rescue
  7. Management
  8. Technical rescue: complex rescue operations performed by highly trained technicians using specialized equipment
  9. Redundancy of plans of action
  10. Access to patient
  11. Treatment
  12. Transport
  13. The common hazards encountered in confined space rescue are low oxygen concentration, toxic fumes, and explosive gases.
  14. Hazards at a motor vehicle collision should be identified during the scene size-up:
  15. Power line
  16. Loaded bumpers
  17. Fire
  18. Air bags
  19. Motor vehicles must be stabilized before patients can be extricated and care provided.
  20. Cribbing
  21. Heavy rescue is used when a patient must be disentangled from a vehicle.
  22. Extrication techniques
  23. Patient safety
  24. There are three common means of extrication from a vehicle using heavy rescue.
  25. Forcing the door
  26. Flapping the roof
  27. Rolling the dash
  28. The EMT should preplan for possible scenarios in operations involving water rescue.
  29. Flat water
  30. Swift water
  31. Undertow
  32. Access: point of contact (POC)
  33. Scene size-up during a search and rescue must include a high life hazard assessment.
  34. Known dangerous condition that could injure or kill someone
  35. Hasty search: quick search of the area
  36. Rescue situations can require the EMT to be creative and adjust plans of action to the situation.

Unit 52, Handout 3

Key Terms

CluesTechnical Rescue

Confined spaceTempered glass

CribbingThrow bag

Flapping the roofUndertow

Flat waterWindow punch

Forcible entry

Forcing the door

Hasty search

Heavy rescue

High life hazard

Nader pin

Personal flotation device (PFD)

Point of contact (POC)

Preplan

Redundancy

Rescue

Rolling the dash

Safety glass

Snag lines

Swift water

Technical rescue

Unit 52, Student Handout 4

Name: ______Date: ______

Case Study 1

Karl was walking along the ridge enjoying the fall foliage. A recent light rainfall had made the trail a little slippery, but Karl really loved the colors of the leaves. While gazing upward, Karl made a misstep and slid some 20 feet down a slope. Looking up the hill, Karl prepared to stand up when he realized that his left ankle was painful.

Lying back down on the leaves, Karl pulled his cellular telephone out of his coat pocket and called 9-1-1.

Stop and Think

1.What are the phases of a rescue operation?

2.What is the difference between a simple rescue and a technical rescue?

3.What are some common hazards on the scene of a rescue?

Unit 52, Student Handout 5

Name: ______Date: ______

Case Study 2

It was a dark and stormy night. The road crews had been out salting the roads, but the roads were still slick. A small red sports car took a turn a little too fast and ended up sliding off the road, flipping on its side in the ditch, and eventually coming to rest against a tree.

A passing motorist, seeing headlights where there should not be any, called the highway patrol to report a possible vehicle off the road. As the driver got out of his car, he could faintly hear someone yelling, “Help me!”

Stop and Think

1.What are some of the hazards present on the scene of a motor vehicle collision?

2.What precautions must an EMT observe?

3.How can an EMT gain quick entry?

4.What can an EMT do to protect the patient while heavy rescue occurs?

5.Are the transportation priorities different after heavy rescue?
Unit 52, Student Handout 6

Name: ______Date: ______

Case Study 3

Emily took her homemade sailboat down to the river to see if it would sail. Her mother had told her repeatedly not to go near the river that ran behind their house. But Emily was excited so off she went. In the meantime her mother had stopped doing the laundry and paused to look out the window at the river. At that moment she saw Emily slip, fall, and enter the water, her sailboat still clutched in her hand.

Grabbing the portable phone, Emily’s mother dashed out the door and was sprinting down the embankment. As she stood helpless on shore, she dialed 9-1-1.

Stop and Think

1.What is the difference between swift and flat water?

2.What are the hazards on scene of a water rescue?

3.What precautions should an EMT take?

Unit 52, Student Handout 7

Name: ______Date: ______

Case Study 4

“Another quiet night here at the home,” Susan thought to herself as she made her rounds checking on the patients. When she looked into Mr. McKearney’s room, she noticed that the bed linen was undisturbed. She turned on the light. Mr. McKearney’s dinner was still on the tray where the orderly had left it. Stepping into the hallway, Susan looked down the hallway and saw the open door.

Mr. McKearney had senile dementia and had a habit of walking off without telling anyone. The last time he did this it took the fire department almost 12 hours to find him. Not wanting to take any chances that he would be gone for 12 hours again, Susan picked up the telephone and asked the operator to contact the fire department.

Stop and Think

1.What are the first actions an EMT should take at a potential search and rescue?

2.What can an EMT do while awaiting professional search and rescue personnel?

3.What medical problems can a lost person have?

Chapter 10 EMS OperationsUnit 52Vehicle Extrication and Rescue Operations