Trunk Tunneling

[BigRig]

I'd like to hear other's experiences regarding trunk tunneling, especially if they've performed the technique during an actual extrication. Lets hear what posed problems and how you overcame them. Further, what was the situation with which you elected to perform the technique?

[MEDIC0372]

Used it on a car upsidedown in a ditch that was full of water. Removed fuel tank and entered trunk from that area then into the car. We got the two young ladies out OK, wet, but OK.

[BigRig]

Any major problems while performing the rescue?

[MEDIC0372]

No...we used an air chissel and "O" cutting tool.

[fftrainer]

Passenger vehicle sandwiched between 2 T/T's with the T/T's forming sort of a V pattern with the cabs almost touching. I can't believe I am going to say this (our tow friend from up north is going to fall out of his chair), but the nearest available H/D wrecker was 35 minutes out and the patient couldn't wait that long for removal to start.

Trunk was spread open till the latch popped and a sawzall was used to take the trunk lid hing arms so that the lid was completely removed. Combi tool was used to take the back dash and rear seat backs. The brake pedal was the only thing holding the patient in, but quick work was made of that using a pedal cutter. The front seat back was reclined fully and the patient was slid straight back onto a long board and the board was slid out the rear of the vehicle.

The problems we had... very labor intensive working in the trunk of a vehicle with hydraulic tools and hoses, etc.

The problems I could foresee... how to remove the rear seat back if it were occupied with a rear seat passenger. We were able to get a sawzall blade through and cut the back right off... obviously that would not be an option with someone sitting there (well not without a follow-up lawsuit )

[Rescue101]

FFT,Gonna take a better story than that to get me to fall out of my chair.Sounds like a good job and another reason to know where your local resources are.Like everything else we do the bigger/nastier the job the more "bodies" we need. TT is a viable method,although on some vehicles I find it more labor intensive than other ops. T.C.