I often have to chuckle at WIKIPEDIA anyone see anything wrong here? Hydraulic rescue tools are used by emergency rescue personnel to assist vehicle extrication of crash victims, as well as other rescues from small spaces. These tools include cutters, spreaders, door busters and rams. They are popularly referred to in the English speaking Commonwealth nations and the US as the Jaws of Life, a trademark of Hurst Performance, Inc. The Jaws of Life were first used in 1963 as a tool to free race car drivers from their vehicles after accidents. Previously rescuers often used circular saws for vehicle extrication, but these suffered from several drawbacks. Saws can conduct sparks, which could start a fire, create loud sounds, stress the victim(s), and often cut slowly. Alternatively, rescuers could try to pry open the vehicle doors with a crowbar or Halligan bar, but this could compromise the stability of the vehicle, injure the victims further, or inadvertently trigger the airbags of the vehicle.
Posted on: Sat, 19 Apr 2014 16:14:32 +0000