Big Shears

[mediccjh]

When I used them to break glass, it was the first time in 10 years that I had to break glass.

[mrt2113]

I remain extremely sceptical of the frequency of this need some of you seem to find to break windows on a routine basis. In over thirty years, I still have fingers left over after counting all of the windows I have had to break. Yes, there were plenty that I could have broken if I wanted to. But the fact remains that the actual need to break windows is a lot less common than a lot of low-time rookies here want to believe. If you are breaking windows this frequently, you seriously need to go back for some more schooling, or simply slow the F down and use your head instead of breaking windows on every damn wrecked car you find. If you're making such poor judgements in access and extrication, your medical judgements are also suspect. Think about it.

And if you're breaking glass, you ought to be wearing gloves anyhow, so the lack of the plastic guards shouldn't be relevant.

And if you are so into being prepared for every possible eventuality that you would run out and buy Big Shears, then there is no excuse for not having gloves on you too.

you don't know how much I agree with that. Most of the time when I show up to an accident the glass is already broken or the door is unlocked and openable because the person is still concious. I've broken glass a whole one time, to get intoa car where some idiot left his keys inside and had to get in (me). It cost me about 300 dollars to get that window fixed too. Any other time I leave it up to FD to do it. They ussually turn the car into a convertible in about 30 seconds flat. Rollovers=alreadybroken glass everything else= FD or doors unlocked or person in the car opens the door. hoe many of you actually think it is critical to break that window.

anyother crash= FD or unlocked doors

[mrt2113]

Although a new hand at EMS, im reasonably well experienced at fire and assisting with extrication. Most windws are busted by the accident anyway, so i think ive done this twice now. One was a back window to extricate the pt through, the other was a rear side window to get someone in the back as the doors were that buckled we could not get them open

In this case our fire would take the roof right off the car witrh the jaws of life.

[FireMedic65]

I remain extremely sceptical of the frequency of this need some of you seem to find to break windows on a routine basis. In over thirty years, I still have fingers left over after counting all of the windows I have had to break. Yes, there were plenty that I could have broken if I wanted to. But the fact remains that the actual need to break windows is a lot less common than a lot of low-time rookies here want to believe. If you are breaking windows this frequently, you seriously need to go back for some more schooling, or simply slow the F down and use your head instead of breaking windows on every damn wrecked car you find. If you're making such poor judgements in access and extrication, your medical judgements are also suspect. Think about it.

And if you're breaking glass, you ought to be wearing gloves anyhow, so the lack of the plastic guards shouldn't be relevant.

And if you are so into being prepared for every possible eventuality that you would run out and buy Big Shears, then there is no excuse for not having gloves on you too.

have you ever taken a vehicle rescue class?? we all don't have the dustdevil magic dust to toss over vehicles to make the doors open. doors are locked... pt needs out.. no time to mess with tools to unlock them. ie slim jim.. they only work for certain kinds of locks, MANUAL locks.. and even then.. they are hard to use.. especially with gloves. and breaking the glass is for your own protection, and the patients protection when and if there is a need to pop a door.

[AnthonyM83]

Someone from this site gave the recommendation of carrying your shears in your boot, which I now do. I have the smaller kind, which usually works for all the unexpected things you need to cut. If it's an actual trauma where you need to cut everything off, I'll be using the regular size shears from the jump bag. Putting them in your back allows them to fall out and stretch your belt out and get caught on things or grabbed by psych patients. And you look less Ricky Rescue.

[BushyFromOz]

In this case our fire would take the roof right off the car witrh the jaws of life.

How would removing the roof have made any real difference to the way this was done...except remove a rescue unit 40km from its base and standing around waiting a long time?

Volunteer fire here is not rescue capable (in this state anyway)

[mrt2113]

How would removing the roof have made any real difference to the way this was done...except remove a rescue unit 40km from its base and standing around waiting a long time?

Volunteer fire here is not rescue capable (in this state anyway)

For an MVA here fire rescue always responds and this is a paid service. It doesn't take them more than a couple of minutes to get the equipment running and begin extrication. Ussually by the the time we roll up to the scene fire is already there extricating. And I didn't mean the alwas remove the roof of the car. They do the safest fastest way to get the t out.

[mrt2113]

have you ever taken a vehicle rescue class?? we all don't have the dustdevil magic dust to toss over vehicles to make the doors open. doors are locked... pt needs out.. no time to mess with tools to unlock them. ie slim jim.. they only work for certain kinds of locks, MANUAL locks.. and even then.. they are hard to use.. especially with gloves. and breaking the glass is for your own protection, and the patients protection when and if there is a need to pop a door.

Ok if the patient ever needs out that bad chances are the glass is either alread broken or FD is on scene extricating. If I were ever in a real pinch yes I would break the glass but for the most part glass is either broken or FD is there. You cant tell me your FD isnt either on scene before u get there or seconds after you. In every volly,paid,or other service I've been in they havent been more than a minute out in almost any situation.

[FireMedic65]

so whats the big deal then? ems cant break glass.. but fire can? pfft

[ReD]

the reason i asked about the ability to break windows, is because i AM fire! here, in texas, most all FDs run the ambulances also, therefore, i really do have the need to break glass when im on fire side.

and yeah, alot of times glass is broken on the vehicle, but not ALL of it, and to remove the roof, you need to first remove ALL of the glass.

and yes, sometimes ill be riding the engine, and have ythe shears on me, and then i use them to break the glass(with gloves on), and when im on the box, the engine guys break the glass and i use the shears to CUT. they are multipurpose for my multiple roles.