Boron Extrication

2005 Volkswagen Passat Airbag

Smitty — Fri, 18 May 2012 03:47:24 +0000

So you are getting ready to cut the roof off a 2000 thru 2005 Volkswagen Passat, do you peel away the trim or do you think that the car could be over 12 years old and there’s no way there would be an airbag inflator in a cut zone?

2012 Audi A3 Body Structure

Smitty — Thu, 17 May 2012 17:22:02 +0000

Extrication Update

Smitty — Thu, 17 May 2012 12:28:58 +0000

During my classroom portion of the train the trainer class in Ann Arbor, I talked about how useful the Internet and even Facebook is to the fire service, especially the extrication discipline! Take a look at the links below for some great extrication information!

First Due Tackle by Paul Hasenmeier (Paul will be a great addition to the FireEMSBlogs.com network, make sure you like the First Due Tackle Facebook page)
Rediscovering the Air Chisel by Les Baker (Why so many firefighters don’t use this tool—and what they should know about its many practical uses)
Interior Ramming vs. Exterior Spreading by Les Baker (What the interior rescuer needs to know to conduct aggressive clearance tactics to displace the roof)
Game Plan Your Extrications by Desmond Fulton (The IS-SAVED acronym offers an easy-to-remember plan for the extrication scene)
Episode 274: X-Trication Radio by David Dalrymple (David Dalrymple hosts X-Trication Radio once a month on Fire Engineering’s Blog Talk Radio channel. Make sure you listen when you have the chance. All the previous episodes are available on Fire Engineering’s channel. You can even stream past episodes thru your car radio. I caught up on a couple of episodes I missed during my drive to FDIC. There’s no place that you cannot turn into a training place!)
Moditech CRS screenshot on Facebook (Moditech posts a Crash Recovery System (CRS) screenshot and asks their Facebook page followers what they notice about the vehicle and the hazards, etc on the vehicle. )

2012 Dodge Avenger Body Structure

Smitty — Sun, 13 May 2012 17:39:07 +0000

Below are the 2012 Dodge Avenger body structure and airbags. Also take note of the location of the 12 volt battery. The Avenger also has double-laminated glass on the front doors and windshield. Another safety feature are the active front head restraints move forward and upward during a rear-end collision to decrease the space between the headrest and head, helping reduce the risk of head and spinal injuries.

Ann Arbor Train the Trainer Pictures

Smitty — Mon, 07 May 2012 19:14:59 +0000

Here are just a few of the pictures from last week’s train the trainer in Ann Arbor.

Advanced Steel Extrication PowerPoints

Smitty — Sat, 05 May 2012 17:24:52 +0000

Below are the advanced steel PowerPoints I presented at the Train the Trainer in Ann Arbor Michigan. Feel free to use, share, and change it fit your departments needs. Also, please let me know of anything you think should change.

2012 Dodge Ram Truck Side Airbag

Smitty — Sat, 05 May 2012 02:35:07 +0000

Here is a quick look at the driver side airbag in the Dodge Ram Truck model year 2008-2012.

2013 Toyota Yaris Hybrid

Smitty — Wed, 02 May 2012 15:03:58 +0000

First look at the 2013 Toyota Yaris Hybrid.

2013 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG E-Cell Supercar

Smitty — Wed, 02 May 2012 10:43:20 +0000

Mercedes-Benz has a 526 horsepower electric drivetrain in the upcoming SLS AMG E-Cell supercar. Power for the E-Cell will be provided by four electric motors. The E-Cell employs a permanent all-wheel drive system which is powered by a 400-volt battery made up of 12 modules of 72 lithium-ion polymer cells. The battery is housed in within the carbon fiber transmission tunnel, which is structurally integrated into the E-Cell’s aluminum body shell. This is a 2013 model year vehicle expected to hit the roads in the fall of 2012.

2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Body Structure

Smitty — Wed, 02 May 2012 06:25:50 +0000

The all-new architecture incorporates a new design that not only improves distortion rigidity by 16 percent, it also incorporates a 30-percent increase in the use of ultra high-strength-tensile steel to improve collision energy management. High-strength steel also allows the suspension to work optimally and reduces weight. Ultra-high strength tensile sheet metal has also been applied to the outer door panels for the first time in the company’s history. In addition, anti-corrosion steel was applied to 70 percent of outer frame and floor structure.

New hot stamping and roll forming methods have also been applied to impact members, which provide added strength, reduces the number of body parts and makes the architecture lighter. The amount of structural adhesives has also been increased significantly for improved body rigidity, crashworthiness and durability.