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Emergency responders in Massachusetts will now have another way to easily identify electric and hybrid vehicles. Massachusetts has become the second state to unveil a new license plate for hybrids and electric vehicles, a move that aligns with the goals with the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) Electric Vehicle Safety Project.
Read the complete story at FireEngineering.com
Also check out the NFPA‘s website and learn more about NFPA’s electric vehicle training series.
Ford Expedition is equipped with six standard airbags, strategically placed to help protect you and your passengers.* There are dual-stage front seat airbags, front seat-mounted side airbags, and side curtain airbags (part of the Safety Canopy® System)* that deploy from the headliner on both sides of the vehicle. A rollover sensor directs side curtain and side airbag deployment in the event of a rollover or certain side-impact collisions. The airbag inflators for the side curtain are on the rail rail between the C-pillar and the D-pillar.
One very cool thing about FDIC is you get to see so many different extrication products setup. Most companies typically have a car in their booths. Strut companies so to always have a vehicle on its’ side using their products to stabilize it. That was the case in the Junkyard Dog Industries booth which they shared with the Packexe folks. I really like the SideWinder Jack and the feature that allows straps to be attached to it to add more stabilization. I hope I can convince the Junkyard Dog folks to send me out a jack to demo!
One very cool thing I’ll never get used to is when someone looks at your name tag and then says “Boron Extrication, I know that site!” and that exactly what Packexe Ltd’s CEO Andrew Orchard said. After playing around with the Packexe SMASH and Andrew showing me a few tips and tricks with the glass management system he showed me a couple of new products in the pipeline at Packexe for the extrication world. I think the new products will fill a nitch area that is often overlooked.
Here’s a quick look at the 2012 Honda CR-Z Hybrid body structure and interior hazards.
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. announced in late 2011 the world’s first* Ultra High Tensile Strength Steel rated at 1.2 gigapascals (GPa) which is highly formable, to the extent that it can be used for cold pressing structural body parts. To be deployed globally in models across the Nissan lineup from 2013, it will reduce vehicle body weight by up to 15 kilograms, representing a significant step in improving environmental impact as well as driving performance.
Developed in collaboration with Nippon Steel Corporation and Kobe Steel, Ltd., the new Ultra High Tensile Strength Steel will be used for center pillar reinforcements, front and side roof rails and other key structural components. By exceeding the structural body performance of previous materials with less thickness, the new steel will contribute to increased dynamic performance and fuel economy.
The new material will also contribute to lower total costs including that of manufacturing, as superior cold-pressing formability supports mass production.
This new breakthrough overcomes significant obstacles. Until now, high tensile strength steel involved a critical trade-off: increased strength came with increased rigidity and a consequent reduction in press formability. Traditionally, only high tensile steel rated up to 980 megapascals (MPa) can be used in cold pressing structural body parts, requiring complex press work.
The new 1.2 GPa steel, combined with Nissan-developed advances in welding methodology, overcomes both obstacles.
Development of the new material was realized by a breakthrough in the ability to control its structural formation at the sub-micron level in combining hard and soft layers to achieve both strength and formability.
Once the new material was developed, extensive experimentation was required to develop an optimal spot-welding methodology. This has been achieved with a proprietary process that involves careful optimization of welding pressure, current volume and power distribution.
By adopting the new material to various parts of the vehicle, Nissan’s new 1.2GPa Ultra High Tensile Strength Steel with High Formability will contribute significantly to overall vehicle weight savings without adding the extra cost required by other lightweight materials, such as aluminum.
Like most extrication folks, I’ll never miss a chance to cut up some cars and even better yet, cut up some school buses. So I jumped in my car and drove down to the Huron County Fairgrounds in Norwalk, Ohio for the Northern Ohio Fools Heavy Rescue 101. Paul Hasenmeier invited me down and I was glad he did. The Northern Ohio Fools put together a top notch training opportunity! There were a bunch of different extrication stations that student we free to rotate thru as they wanted. Included in the stations, a garbage truck under ride, school buses, semi tractor and trailer on a vehicle, all levels of vehicle extrication with over 30 vehicles to cut up. All the major hydraulic tool companies had their local dealers there. The event was broken up into a classroom that covered New Vehicle Technology on Friday evening and then an all day hands on training on Saturday. The best part of all, it was free with just a $10 donation to the Northern Ohio Fools!
Click on over to the Boron Extrication Facebook and like it to see more pictures.
Paul Hasenmeier and I in front a bus he set up to have a victim trapped between the top of the seat, roof of the bus, and the Jersey barrier.
Also check out the Northern Ohio Fools.
The Northern Ohio Fools are holding their 8th annual Heavy Rescue 101 this evening and on Saturday. This is a great free training opportunity with just a $10 donation to the Huron County Firefighters Memorial. You needed to pre-registration, if you did, I’ll see you down there tomorrow. Looking forward to see what Paul Hasenmeier has cooked up with the school buses!
Autoweek is reporting that the HAZMAT team was notified via radio that the explosion involved lithium batteries in what was believed to be the battery-research portion of the facility.
Read more: http://www.autoweek.com/article/20120411/CARNEWS/120419982#ixzz1rk4khhf4
WARREN, Mich. (WXYZ) – There has been an explosion at a lab facility on the campus of GM’s Technical Center in Warren.
At least one person has been injured and was taken to a nearby hospital.
All employees have been evacuated from building number 2-7, a lab at the Alternative Energy Center.
The Warren Fire Department reports that there was a lithium battery explosion at a lab on campus. Fire and emergency crews are on the scene.
GM released the following statement:
We are aware of an incident this morning in one of the laboratories at the Alternative Energy Center at the General Motors Technical Center in Warren, Mich. Fire and emergency authorities were called to the scene. The building was evacuated. employees have been accounted for. We are aware one employee was injured and taken to an area hospital, We will share more information as it is confirmed.
My department is located in a city where Ford used to make Lincolns and is home of Trijicon. If you like guns, than you know what Trijicon makes. Let’s just say they make the sights and scopes that Special Forces love! Anyway, Wixom is also home to Tico Titanium and they manufacture titanium halligan bars. My department has several of these very light weight tools on a few trucks. When you grab the irons it feels like you are only carrying an axe.
Tico Titanium designed the titanium halligan bars for the law enforcement community and other sensitive protective agencies. There’s only one store that I know that sells the titanium halligan bar and that’s All Hands Fire. All Hands Fire is a family owned store started by a firefighter back in 2001. I buy most of my personal gear from them because it’s tough to find lower prices!
Last summer I helped coach my son’s t-ball team and another assistant coach on the team worked at Tico. So as luck would have it, he gave a titanium halligan bar to review and play around with. I have a PIG on the way – a PIG is a forcible entry tool - and plan to evaluate the two tools together on some forcible entry and extrication scenarios. So a full review of both tools will be posted this summer.
Tico Titanium Fire Tool (Rescue Tool) (Halligan)
The 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class Body Structure, which is predominantly aluminum, plus a few magnesium parts here and there, along with some high-strength steel placed judiciously for a rigid and safe structure. Taking this and other heft-shedding ploys into account, Benz claims a 2013 SL550 will be around 310 pounds lighter than its predecessor.
Avalon’s body structure is strengthened to help meet the latest side impact standards, accounting for higher-riding vehicles such as SUVs. In the event of collision, reinforced members, pillars, panels and doors absorb impact energy, then distribute it around and away from the passenger cabin for enhanced impact protection.
Avalon’s Dual-stage Front Airbags are designed to deploy with the most appropriate amount of force – lower and less forceful in the event of a moderate collision; higher energy level for more severe impacts. Front Seat-mounted Side Airbags, built into the seat and not the door pillar for enhanced protection, have been designed to provide a greater coverage area. In addition, standard front and rear Side-curtain Airbags help provide protection for all passengers in side impacts. Avalon also features a driver’s knee airbag as standard equipment.
Notice where the side airbag inflator is located?
I quick look at the BMW F10 Body Structure. The A-Pillar, B-Pillar, rockers , and front half of the roof rails are made from heat-molded steel. Not surprising!
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