What would you do?

[billy]

Let me ask everyone's ideas? The situation: passenger car underriding a tractor trailer. Vehicle pinned under trailer portion with access to both sides. Persons trapped in front seat by roof/dash/seats with serious injuries.

Would you...<br />a. attempt extrication through sides of vehicle?<br />b. lift the trailer, remove the car, and perform<br /> extrication?<br />c. tunnel through the trunk, maintain nose to <br /> navel alignment of patient and remove the<br /> patient horizontally?

Don't read too much into the situation, just reply with your standard practices and generate ideas. <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0">

[Ten8_Ten19]

ASSuming viable but severely injured occupants...lower the car (tire deflation) and raise the trailer (jack mechanism still operable?) and get the vehicle out where you can begin roof removal. You could spend a lot of time trying other tactics in tight quarters and have little or no success. Heavy wrecker would also be enroute ASAP.

[Resq14]

same as 10-8_10-19

[KIPSKI137]

i also agree.<br />to much time would be wasted going in through the trunk,and not enough room for ems to work.

[mongofire_99]

Good question and I agree, get the car out from under it.

Question for Ten8_Ten19

You said use the jacks. How would you do this while the trailer is still hooked to the 5th wheel?

Lowering the jacks and driving the rig out certainly may be an option depending on its positioning, but is it a safe operation?

[RSQLT43]

I would make sure that the brakes on truck and trailer were set, then chock the wheels on both the truck and trailer, then lower jack mechanism of trailer, when jacks are down, uncouple from fifth wheel,raise jacks as far as needed, even though these jacks are designed for holding the trailer, I would still crib the trailer during this process, also this would not be done if the jack mechanism had been compromised in any way from the collision.

I would leave the tires inflated on the passenger vehicle involved, to let it be pulled from under the trailer a little smoother, if the trailer could not be raised high enough to allow the tires to stay inflated, then I would elect to deflate the tires then pull the vehicle out.

I also agree that I would have a heavy wrecker on the way for this call.

[bfcf623]

Get the car out from under the trailer.

[lutan1]

Ensure brakes engaged.

Stabilise trailer. Lower tyres and attempt to remove vehicle from underneath. If need be, raise trailer to allow easier removal of vehicle.

Roof off and extricate over parcel shelf keeping spinal allignment...

[MikeF25]

Get the car ou tfrom under the trailer. (As long as it is safe)