Torches are not a tool that we use everyday, month, or year on our emergency scenes, but if needed can you pull it off the rig, work truck on a job site, or cart in an industrial setting and go to work quickly? Entrapment and impalements possibilities are never ending and some may require cutting a victim free with a torch.

Yesterday, a semi crashed into a building in Bucyrus, OH.  A friend sent the picture to the left from the scene.  Read one of the news report here.  Luckily the driver of the semi made it out before significant structural collapse occurred.  

Let's review the muscle memory we are trying to gain through repetition. (1) Gap (2) Set (3) Force. Now, to many times when we are gaining access through a commercial door, we loose the gap when a tool slips out or the metal springs us back.

The prop itself is a small replication of a boat's gunnel with several variations of cleats. We quickly made this training into a EMS / rescue scenario that covers penetrating injuries and basic hand tool operations.

In Part 1 of this discussion on air chisels we touched on operating hazards, general operating techniques, and a homemade chisel prop. Several videos of training on the prop along with the entire post can be seen here. Again, air chisels seem to be a love them or hat them type of tool, but in many scenarios they can provide a quick means to rescue entrapped victims. In this post we added some more training tips, street-smart techniques, and pictures of possible uses. The list isn't all inclusive, but at least a start for your training.

Here are two quick topics for discussion around the firehouse kitchen table as we try to stay cool when temperatures soar.

Air chisels seem to be a love them or hate them type of tool. In our opinion they can certainly be helpful in a variety of extrication and rescue scenarios. In Part 1 of this post we will take a look at operating hazards, general operating techniques, and a homemade chisel prop to instruct students on how to use the chisel. Several videos are included for review and discussion.