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7 November 2025
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Featured FRI Magazine article: Rescue training on new vehicles by Neville van Rensburg and Julius Fleischman
Practice makes perfect
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The types of vehicles that are used in Europe for training exercises have the latest technology enabling emergency staff to experience new technology
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Training on new vehicles is of immense value
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Training on new vehicles is of immense value
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This week’s featured Fire and Rescue International magazine article is: Rescue training on new vehicles written by Neville van Rensburg and Julius Fleischman, World Rescue Organisation (WRO) assessors and members (FRI Vol 3 no 9). We will be sharing more technical/research/tactical articles from Fire and Rescue International magazine on a weekly basis with our readers to assist in technology transfer. This will hopefully create an increased awareness, providing you with hands-on advice and guidance. All our magazines are available free of charge in PDF format on our website and online at ISSUU. We also provide all technical articles as a free download in our article archive on our website.
Rescue training on new vehicles
By Neville van Rensburg and Julius Fleischman, World Rescue Organisation (WRO) assessors and members
With today’s fast changing vehicle technology and the introduction of new car technology, rescuers need to stay up to date with new materials used in modern vehicle manufacturing so as to safely extricate trapped patients. Rescuers also need to work around latest materials and safety systems in vehicles as well the various types of fuel used such as hybrid and electrical vehicles, liquid petroleum gas (LPG) fuel etc.
Currently, most services providing vehicle extrication training in South Africa don’t have the opportunity to train new students on current vehicle or new car technologies. Most of us have to use vehicles in scrap yards to train students.
The problem with this is that the students do not get the opportunity to work with new car and hybrid vehicle technologies, gaining experience only on older models and getting used to cutting on older materials. However, it is important for rescuers to still train and practice on older models, especially in Africa were older vehicles are in use for longer than in Europe. Conversely, most of these wrecks the students are practicing on are without wheels and windows and some without doors.
This creates a challenge when these students responds to real accident scenes involving modern and hybrid vehicles and then, while on an incident, have to deal with new car technology.
Although these vehicles were designed and manufactured with safety in mind, accidents still happen and responders need to extricate patients fast and safely. The question then arises whether responders are ready and trained to extricate a patient from these new technology vehicles.
It is really important that vehicle manufactures in South Africa as in Europe, make new car technology vehicles available to rescuers for training so to upskill them, creating training opportunities on the latest technology available on the market.
We are grateful to scrapyard owners that are always willing to assist rescuers to train students to use extrication tools and master the techniques. However, just looking at the vehicles on our roads, we notice the increase in new vehicles. If we look at these vehicles, the B post is being manufactured stronger and as such metal relocation and techniques need to be practiced.
The traditional method of providing side access to a casualty is the B post rip. This involves firstly forcing the locking (Nader) bolt of the rear door, then cutting the top of the B post through the front and rear door window openings. A cut is made into the rear of the base of the B post at sill level and spreaders used to force a tear through the rest of the post. The whole side of the car will then swing forwards on the front door hinges. The technique takes about 12 minutes if all goes well but rust in the sill of older cars can result in the sill starting to crumble rather than the B post tearing if too deep an initial cut is made. The use of high strength light alloy (HSLA) in modern cars at the foot of the B post can also complicate matters and even skilled operators may take 20 minutes or more to complete this task.
Roof strip or trench
This evolution has actually been around for quite a while, as has the roof flap evolution. But the roof flap really doesn’t give you the space you need (except on SUVs, minivans and station wagons) and you still need to cut roof posts for it to work. The roof strip or trench removes the centre of the roof from between the roof rails from front to back. This enables you to quickly remove most of the roof with a lot less weight to manage.
Rescue training on new vehicles
By Neville van Rensburg and Julius Fleischman, World Rescue Organisation (WRO) assessors and members
With today’s fast changing vehicle technology and the introduction of new car technology, rescuers need to stay up to date with new materials used in modern vehicle manufacturing so as to safely extricate trapped patients. Rescuers also need to work around latest materials and safety systems in vehicles as well the various types of fuel used such as hybrid and electrical vehicles, liquid petroleum gas (LPG) fuel etc.
Currently, most services providing vehicle extrication training in South Africa don’t have the opportunity to train new students on current vehicle or new car technologies. Most of us have to use vehicles in scrap yards to train students.
The problem with this is that the students do not get the opportunity to work with new car and hybrid vehicle technologies, gaining experience only on older models and getting used to cutting on older materials. However, it is important for rescuers to still train and practice on older models, especially in Africa were older vehicles are in use for longer than in Europe. Conversely, most of these wrecks the students are practicing on are without wheels and windows and some without doors.
This creates a challenge when these students responds to real accident scenes involving modern and hybrid vehicles and then, while on an incident, have to deal with new car technology.
Although these vehicles were designed and manufactured with safety in mind, accidents still happen and responders need to extricate patients fast and safely. The question then arises whether responders are ready and trained to extricate a patient from these new technology vehicles.
It is really important that vehicle manufactures in South Africa as in Europe, make new car technology vehicles available to rescuers for training so to upskill them, creating training opportunities on the latest technology available on the market.
We are grateful to scrapyard owners that are always willing to assist rescuers to train students to use extrication tools and master the techniques. However, just looking at the vehicles on our roads, we notice the increase in new vehicles. If we look at these vehicles, the B post is being manufactured stronger and as such metal relocation and techniques need to be practiced.
The traditional method of providing side access to a casualty is the B post rip. This involves firstly forcing the locking (Nader) bolt of the rear door, then cutting the top of the B post through the front and rear door window openings. A cut is made into the rear of the base of the B post at sill level and spreaders used to force a tear through the rest of the post. The whole side of the car will then swing forwards on the front door hinges. The technique takes about 12 minutes if all goes well but rust in the sill of older cars can result in the sill starting to crumble rather than the B post tearing if too deep an initial cut is made. The use of high strength light alloy (HSLA) in modern cars at the foot of the B post can also complicate matters and even skilled operators may take 20 minutes or more to complete this task.
Roof strip or trench
This evolution has actually been around for quite a while, as has the roof flap evolution. But the roof flap really doesn’t give you the space you need (except on SUVs, minivans and station wagons) and you still need to cut roof posts for it to work. The roof strip or trench removes the centre of the roof from between the roof rails from front to back. This enables you to quickly remove most of the roof with a lot less weight to manage.
Roof strip or trench
However, with today’s vehicles, this evolution enables you to avoid cutting the areas where most side curtain supplementary restraint system (SRS) inflation modules are placed. You still need to pull edge trim prior to cutting but except for the Jaguar S-type and Volkswagen Golf, Rabbit and Jetta models, the vehicle should be free of these devices. Although you might still encounter higher-strength roof rail reinforcements, they should not be as strong as the roof posts.
Using the hydraulic cutter, make a relief cut inboard of both roof rails at the front and the back. Then take a reciprocating saw or a rescue air chisel and make a cut connecting the relief cuts on both sides. Although you can use the reciprocating saw or rescue air chisel for the entire process, the hydraulic cutter will make short work of any higher-strength reinforcements on the roof edges.
Use caution in making cuts since the blades or bits will extend into the vehicle’s occupant space. Use hard protection and good visual referencing as you work. After removing the roof section, cover the sharp edges on each side, since these cuts will be very sharp and jagged. Although this evolution will not remove the entire roof, it will facilitate removing patients up and rearward vertically.
Roof tenting
What about the vehicle that has ‘uncut table’ reinforced roof posts? Maybe do a roof trench? But what if the patient’s condition is time critical and he needs to be disentangled right away? Going through the vehicle’s side using a door displacement doesn’t always provide enough room and is not quick either.
Using the hydraulic cutter, make a relief cut inboard of both roof rails at the front and the back. Then take a reciprocating saw or a rescue air chisel and make a cut connecting the relief cuts on both sides. Although you can use the reciprocating saw or rescue air chisel for the entire process, the hydraulic cutter will make short work of any higher-strength reinforcements on the roof edges.
Use caution in making cuts since the blades or bits will extend into the vehicle’s occupant space. Use hard protection and good visual referencing as you work. After removing the roof section, cover the sharp edges on each side, since these cuts will be very sharp and jagged. Although this evolution will not remove the entire roof, it will facilitate removing patients up and rearward vertically.
Roof tenting
What about the vehicle that has ‘uncut table’ reinforced roof posts? Maybe do a roof trench? But what if the patient’s condition is time critical and he needs to be disentangled right away? Going through the vehicle’s side using a door displacement doesn’t always provide enough room and is not quick either.
Roof tenting
Ideally, you also strive to remove patients with ‘head, belly and toes’ in line. As vehicles have evolved, the average window opening has gotten larger. These factors point to a roof tent evolution. Basically, you will widen the rear window opening, recline the patient’s seat and slide the patient up a long spine board for packaging and removal.
To widen the window opening, you have to manage the rear window glass first. The easiest and quickest way to widen the opening is to place the hydraulic spreader into the window opening and open the spreader. After removing the edge trim, place one arm of the spreader on the vehicle’s package deck and the other arm against the roof edge. For the arm that is against the package deck, first place cribbing on the deck to spread the load of the tool’s force over a greater area. As the spreader opens, you create space by tenting the roof.
Now you can improve on this tent by either extending the tent with a hydraulic ram or jack or by making a partial roof trench and using the ram or jack to push the roof piece even farther up. Although your disentanglement space is smaller than usual, the roof tent provides some quick useable space if your patient’s condition is time critical.
So it is best to experience and practice on the new technology vehicles to hone your skills.
Practicing on new models, students are able to experience how new car technology will react to extrication methods. The following two photographs courtesy of Dave Dyrample of Road Way Rescue, explain new extrication techniques used on new car technology vehicles. You can practice these techniques on older vehicles; however, the results would not be the same.
As emergency vehicle instructors in South Africa, we need to be able to train emergency personnel on new car technology. These are rescuers that will be responding to incidents and have to save the lives of those trapped. As first responders they need to train but we struggle to get proper vehicles to train on.
Surely vehicle manufacturers or insurance companies where new technology cars are written off could donate these to training centres for students to practice on. What better vehicles to use as these vehicles already have tensions, torsions and flexions.
Suggestion
Introducing an annual vehicle extrication day for instructors at vehicle plants using new vehicles that have been tested and are not sold to the public will enable instructors to experience new car technology and research relevant extrication methods. We, as emergency service personnel, can also play a role to ensure that vehicle manufacturers are able to research the impact accidents have on their vehicles.
Way forward to limit the challenges
We must relook at how we train our emergency staff in vehicle rescue. Extrication is not just about cutting and spreading; it’s also how the vehicle responds to the extrication techniques. With new car technology, it is important that we look at the vehicle body, flexions, torsions, tensions and position of impact. Students must understand the anatomy of these new vehicles.
We should take students to panelbeaters and scrap yards to look at cars that were involved in accidents. We should also make arrangements with car dealers to bring students around to have a look at new vehicles, the symbols and signs that have been added to it so they know what to look out for. Although this does not include practicing, students will be able gain knowledge from this.
It would be beneficial for vehicle extrication instructors from different organisations and services to get together on an annual basis to discuss vehicle rescue extrication and the challenges faced. This will promote better training opportunities and create an environment to debate strategies to enhance vehicle extrication training.
It is time that we join forces and combine our training efforts in order to benefit the students and mostly the victims trapped in vehicles as accidents happen any place and in all types of vehicles.
To widen the window opening, you have to manage the rear window glass first. The easiest and quickest way to widen the opening is to place the hydraulic spreader into the window opening and open the spreader. After removing the edge trim, place one arm of the spreader on the vehicle’s package deck and the other arm against the roof edge. For the arm that is against the package deck, first place cribbing on the deck to spread the load of the tool’s force over a greater area. As the spreader opens, you create space by tenting the roof.
Now you can improve on this tent by either extending the tent with a hydraulic ram or jack or by making a partial roof trench and using the ram or jack to push the roof piece even farther up. Although your disentanglement space is smaller than usual, the roof tent provides some quick useable space if your patient’s condition is time critical.
So it is best to experience and practice on the new technology vehicles to hone your skills.
Practicing on new models, students are able to experience how new car technology will react to extrication methods. The following two photographs courtesy of Dave Dyrample of Road Way Rescue, explain new extrication techniques used on new car technology vehicles. You can practice these techniques on older vehicles; however, the results would not be the same.
As emergency vehicle instructors in South Africa, we need to be able to train emergency personnel on new car technology. These are rescuers that will be responding to incidents and have to save the lives of those trapped. As first responders they need to train but we struggle to get proper vehicles to train on.
Surely vehicle manufacturers or insurance companies where new technology cars are written off could donate these to training centres for students to practice on. What better vehicles to use as these vehicles already have tensions, torsions and flexions.
Suggestion
Introducing an annual vehicle extrication day for instructors at vehicle plants using new vehicles that have been tested and are not sold to the public will enable instructors to experience new car technology and research relevant extrication methods. We, as emergency service personnel, can also play a role to ensure that vehicle manufacturers are able to research the impact accidents have on their vehicles.
Way forward to limit the challenges
We must relook at how we train our emergency staff in vehicle rescue. Extrication is not just about cutting and spreading; it’s also how the vehicle responds to the extrication techniques. With new car technology, it is important that we look at the vehicle body, flexions, torsions, tensions and position of impact. Students must understand the anatomy of these new vehicles.
We should take students to panelbeaters and scrap yards to look at cars that were involved in accidents. We should also make arrangements with car dealers to bring students around to have a look at new vehicles, the symbols and signs that have been added to it so they know what to look out for. Although this does not include practicing, students will be able gain knowledge from this.
It would be beneficial for vehicle extrication instructors from different organisations and services to get together on an annual basis to discuss vehicle rescue extrication and the challenges faced. This will promote better training opportunities and create an environment to debate strategies to enhance vehicle extrication training.
It is time that we join forces and combine our training efforts in order to benefit the students and mostly the victims trapped in vehicles as accidents happen any place and in all types of vehicles.