Tools & techniques
By Randy Babbitt
Auto extrication techniques for
today’s vehicles: Rethinking the
basics of removing a door
In
order to truly appreciate the technology that is going into
today’s vehicles, you need to keep in tune with the new
requirements from the 2 agencies that enforce and recommend vehicle safety advances…The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
(www.iihs.org) which makes recommendations and the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (www.nhtsa.dot.gov) which regulates the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and Regulations.
To get a feel for the changes that are coming down the pipe, you
don’t have to look far. In 2010 the roof crush standard for new vehicles increased from 1 ½ to 2 ½ times the weight of the vehicle. What
this means is that the minimum standard for a new vehicle’s roof is it
now has to support 2 ½ times its own weight before the roof collapses into the passenger space. The new proposed recommendation from
the IIHS is 4-5 times the weight of the vehicle. This is only a recommendation, but since the IIHS is the agency that reports their testing to
the media, the auto industry is sure to follow.
I’m no structural engineer, but I know that the only way to make
vehicles comply with this and the rest of the new crash standards is by
incorporating more high strength steel for us to deal with as rescuers.
As these changes are made, our extrications will become more and
more challenging. Our techniques and the tools that we use are going
to have to advance with the auto industry or we will struggle through
even the simplest extrications on newer generation cars. We need to
evolve from being the knuckle draggers that rely solely on sheer brute
and brawn. In today’s world, we need to operate with more emphasis
on technique and precision. We can no longer blindly cut and force
whatever happens to be in our way. We need to be able to identify
what we are cutting and/or forcing and we need to know the capabilities of our equipment. Once we have a reasonable understanding of
both, we need to then respect them and then we will have a high rate
of success.
Visualize & Stabilize
The importance of vehicle stabilization and component visualization has never been greater. First off, take the time properly stabilize
the vehicle that you are working on. At least 2 positive points of contact are required to adequately stabilize most cars. Some cars will
require 4 points of contact for proper stabilization. Secondly, peel away
the interior plastics and moldings to expose hidden supplemental
restraint system components that can be hazardous to us and the victim. Exposing what’s concealed by the interior molding will also reveal
components that could be challenging to work through. Commonly
referred to as “peal & peak” or “expose & identify”, this is a step that
can no longer be skipped if we expect to have a safe and successful
extrication. Once these primary steps are taken, the next step in most
extrication scenarios is removing a door for patient access.
Let’s start with a different perspective on how to work through
removing a door. It’s actually pretty simple and lots of you are already
doing it…cut before you force. There are many reasons to employ a
“cut before force” game plan…the most important is self preservation.
When most vehicle components are forced to a point of failure, the
energy that is released is equal to or greater than the impact force
required to activate an airbag sensor. This energy is absorbed by the
tool operator (you) and the vehicle, which then transfers to the patient.
22
•
THE CALIFORNIA FIRE SERVICE MAGAZINE
•
Now, the question that begs to be asked…why not use another tool in
our tool kit that almost completely eliminates this unnecessary hazard.
Hinge Side First
Going after the hinge side of the door first is a preferred technique.
It allows easier access for cutting the hinges while working outside of the
Stainless steel hinge
Forged hinge
Forged hinge
MAY/JUNE 2010
Tools & techniques
vehicle. Since the space between the fender and the door is usually too
small for most spreader tips to get into, you may need make a purchase
point. The “go to” method for making this purchase point is to grab
the fender as close as possible to the door jam with the spreaders and
compress the fender. This should draw the fender away from the door
allowing your spreader tips to have an adequate purchase point. Use
this purchase point to get your spreader tips in between the fender and
the door and spread the fender out of the way, completely exposing the
hinges and providing enough space to get the cutters in.
Once you have accessed the hinges, it’s time to assess what you
have. There are 3 basic materials that automotive door hinges are
made of…
Stamped Steel Hinges
The stamped steel hinge is found in most foreign and domestic
light and medium passenger vehicles and trucks that have been manufactured in the past 15 years. Not only are they the most common,
they are usually the softest and easiest hinges to cut through…as long
as we know what to avoid. Stamped steel hinges are made of 1/8” or
thinner sheet steel that has been stamped by a large press into the
desired shape. The “meat” of the hinge is usually very soft and most
cutters will have no problem cutting right through it. However, the
other components that make up the hinge…the bolts, the spring, the
hinge pin, and the roller(s) are almost always hardened steel and
should be avoided since they may create some issues for your cutters.
Cast Steel Hinges
The cast hinge is found mostly in older passenger cars and medi-
um to heavy duty trucks and SUV’s. The cast hinge is easy to identify
mainly because of its size. It’s a large, thick hinge with a rough surface
that will always be bolted to the door jam and door. This is a simple
hinge which is usually made up of the 2 hinge sides, a hinge pin and the
bolts that attach it. The challenge that cast hinges present is that cast
metal doesn’t shear, it fractures. Try to find a weak point on the hinge
like a thin spot for your cut point. When you do select your cut point,
it’s best to have the blades begin their cut through the long axis of the
hinge. Cutting the smaller surface area lowers the pressure needed to
fracture the hinge. Remember that the hinge pin and the bolts on a cast
hinge are also hardened and should be avoided.
Forged Steel Hinges
The forged hinge is commonly found in higher end sports cars and
luxury passenger cars. The forged hinge looks similar to a cast hinge
with a few differences. The forged hinge is smaller and has a
smoother surface compared to the cast hinge. Another difference is
that the forged hinge can and commonly is welded to the door frame
and/or the door. The forged hinge has the highest strength to mass
ratio of all of the hinges and can be a formidable opponent. The forging process compresses and hardens the metal, just like the metal that
your cutter blades are made of. Once again, look for a thin point and
make your cut along the long axis for a higher success rate. Check
with your tool manufacturer to see if your cutters are capable of cutting a forged hinge.
For blade preservation alone, you should attempt to get a straight
shot at all of these hinges with your cutter blades while avoiding the
MAY/JUNE 2010
•
THE CALIFORNIA FIRE SERVICE MAGAZINE
•
23
Tools & techniques
hardened components. Your blades should be completely perpendicular to the hinge. Rotated blades and cuts through hardened components could result in broken blades! Move your cutter from side to side
and up and down to maneuver the blades away from the hard stuff.
You should start on the top hinge with your blades as deep into the
door jam as possible. By starting your cut deep into the door jam, you
will allow the cutter blades to gather the material into the “sweet spot”
of the blade, where the blades are their strongest and have the most
cutting force. If you can, grab the wire loom and the over-swing bar
while making the cuts on the hinges…economy of motion!
the window opening with your spreaders. If there’s a wheel well next
to the door latch, compress the exterior sheet metal with your spreaders to open up the space. Once an adequate purchase point is made,
use your spreaders between the door and the pillar to make access to
the latch pin/bolt.
Latch Pins
Latch Side
Once the hinge side of the door is free from the car, chances are
you will be able to simply unlatch the door and the entire door will be
free. If this isn’t the case, you’ll need to access and assess the latch pin
or latch bolt…commonly referred to as the “nader” bolt.
FUN FACT…The Nader bolt is just a nickname. It is named after
consumer rights advocate and politician Ralph Nader, who in 1965
released the book “Unsafe at Any Speed” which claimed that American
cars were fundamentally flawed with respect to operator safety. One
of the issues that he exposed was inadequate door latching systems.
Changes were made by the auto industry, and the auto industry
dubbed the new latch receiver the “nader” bolt.
If a purchase point is needed to get your spreader tips between
the door and the pillar to access the latch pin, try compressing the
exterior and interior door panels together with your spreaders. If this
doesn’t work or can’t be accomplished, another technique is to spread
Three examples of latch pins
24
•
THE CALIFORNIA FIRE SERVICE MAGAZINE
•
MAY/JUNE 2010
Tools & techniques
Latch pins are the most common latch receiver used in almost every
passenger car and truck that has been manufactured in the past 15
years. They come in many configurations, but they have a common
trait…they have 2 connection points to the car. Latch pins are fairly
easy to cut, just make sure to cut both connection points.
Latch Bolts (Nader Bolt)
Latch bolt
Hinge access
Latch bolts, on the other hand, can ruin some cutter blades. Latch
bolts are found on many cars that are over 20 years old and also some
newer heavy trucks. They are usually a minimum of 3/8” steel bar and
some are even hardened. If you’re going to cut a latch bolt, you better
know that your cutters are capable of at least 60,000 pounds of cutting
force. Not only that, you need to check with your tool manufacturer to
see if the blades themselves can withstand a “nader” bolt cut. If it’s not
within your tools capabilities to cut such a bolt, go ahead and force the
door off of the bolt with your spreaders. 90% of the energy that is produced when the latch fails will be transferred to the door which is now
free from the car.
An extrication team made up of a spreader operator and a cutter
operator can work very efficiently to remove a door. It just takes a little practice prior to a real extrication and some good communication
during. Know your tools, know what you’re cutting or forcing and
respect them both. Happy cutting!
Randy Babbitt is an auto extrication specialist/instructor who teaches
auto extrication techniques and vehicle anatomy throughout
California. He is a registered auto extrication instructor with State Fire
Training and the former Editor of FireHouse Life Magazine. Randy is a
22 year Firefighter who has been working as a Truck Engineer with the
Huntington Beach Fire Department for the past 11 years. Randy and
his wife of 20 years raise their 12-year-old daughter in the City of
Murrieta. Randy can be reached at [email protected] for questions or comments.
Let us help you make home
ownership a reality.
Hinge access
Why rent when you can own? As a CalPERS Preferred
Lender, MetLife Home Loans can assist you with the
following mortgage products and member benefits:
> Fixed and adjustable-rate mortgages
> Community homebuyer assistance programs
> 60-day interest rate locks
> Low down payment options
> Controlled closing costs
Call today to find out more, or to apply for financing:
Hinge cut close-up
MetLife Home Loans and CalPERS are not affiliated.
All loans subject to approval. Certain conditions and
fees apply. Mortgage financing provided by MetLife
Home Loans, a division of MetLife Bank, N.A. Equal
Housing Lender. ©2009 METLIFE,INC.
L1109070642[exp1110][All States][DC]
Finder pinch
MAY/JUNE 2010
•
THE CALIFORNIA FIRE SERVICE MAGAZINE
•
25