Vehicle Rescue
Tesla Model X Mountain View, California Crash
Telsa Model X Crash
Take a look at the pictures and video below from a crash on the highway involving a Telsa Model X.
Links to stories:
- Driver Dies Following Fiery Tesla Model X Crash on Calif. Hwy
- Driver dies after Tesla Model X catches fire in California
- Driver Dies Following Fiery Tesla Model X Crash on U.S. Hwy. 101 in Mountain View
Here is the scene on Highway 101S in #MountainView where a #Tesla caught on fire pic.twitter.com/ksnidlFgsw
— Dean C. Smith (@DeanCSmith) March 23, 2018
Small explosions within the body of the #Tesla just now as technicians remove damaged batteries 💥💥💥 pic.twitter.com/EI1vZTPUUd
— Dean C. Smith (@DeanCSmith) March 23, 2018
Fiery crash involving #Tesla has been cleared from HWY 101S in #MountainView 🔥 Towtruck with Tesla has @CHP_RedwoodCity and @MtnViewFire escort to tow yard, just in case… pic.twitter.com/sLiBCWIyKX
— Dean C. Smith (@DeanCSmith) March 23, 2018
School Bus Lift
I ran across the picture above in my Facebook find and thought that this picture is worth a thousand words. If you take a look at the roof of the school bus, the instructors painted 5 steps for the students to follow. The picture was posted on the City of Turlock – Fire Department Facebook page from some training the had on their new Paratech rescue equipment.
Here are the steps:
- Identify the load (Type C or D School 30,000 Lbs)
- Stabilize the top vehicle
- Lower the bottom vehicle (Remove the air for the tires and/or capture the suspension)
- Lift the top vehicle
- Separate the vehicles/extricate/patient removal
So what do school buses weigh?
| School Bus Type | Gross Vehicle Weight Rating* |
|---|---|
| Type A1 | GVWR of less than 10,000 lbs. |
| Type A2 | GVWR of more than 10,000 lbs. A popular style Type A introduced in 2004 was rated at 14,000 lbs. GVWR. |
| Type B | GVWR of more than 10,000 lbs. |
| Type C | GVWR of more than 10,000 lbs. Type C school buses typically range between 23,500 lbs. to 29,500 lbs GVWR, depending on seating capacity. |
| Type D | GVWR of more than 10,000 lbs. Type D school buses typically range between 25,000 lbs. to 36,000 lbs. GVWR, depending on seating capacity. |
* Gross vehicle weight rating ( GVWR ) is the estimated total weight of a school bus that is loaded to capacity, including the weight of the vehicle itself plus fuel, passengers, and other miscellaneous items such as extra aftermarket parts.
Heavy Rescue
18-wheeler falls off overpass crushes car below
Often many extrication instructors setup some outside of the normal training scenarios where the students usually comment “that would never happen”. One of those happened in Texas. A tractor and trailer fell off overpass in Sugar Land, Texas and crushed the car below. The driver of the car was able to climb out of her vehicle with a little help from some bystanders.
Outside the Box
Often many extrication instructors setup some outside of the normal training scenarios where the students usually comment “that would never happen”. One of those happened in Texas. A tractor and trailer fell off overpass in Sugar Land, Texas and crushed the car below. The driver of the car was able to climb out of her vehicle with a little help from some bystanders.
From a training perspective, what would be your plan if the vehicle had occupants trapped? Do you know what heavy wrecker resources are available in your response area? Do you have the equipment to stabilize, lift, and/or remove the vehicle from under the trailer? Take some time to run a scenario thru your mind about what you would do.
Twitter exploded with rubberneckers posting pictures.
Exit Highway 90 or Highway 6 to avoid backup at 59 and University SB https://t.co/M7rnQlfX7U
— Elissa Rivas (@ElissaRivas13) January 11, 2018
Just amazing! No life-threatening injuries in the crash #SugarLand 59 SB at University, SB service road closed, updates 2night @abc13houston pic.twitter.com/AduG7n0w5i
— Elissa Rivas (@ElissaRivas13) January 11, 2018
NEW: Tractor-trailer drives off 59 Southwest Freeway overpass in Sugar Land, Texas; Injuries Unknown – KPRC pic.twitter.com/763IMV19cs
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) January 11, 2018
School Bus
School Bus Auxiliary Heaters
Rescuers often remove the side windows of a school bus and cut from the bottom of the window to the bus floor. Rescuers need to locate any coolant lines prior to cutting to ensure the lines are not cut and leak heat coolant.
School Bus Auxiliary Heaters
In the past, school district bus yards had to plug in the engine block heater on school buses to warm it enough to start a cold diesel on a winter morning. However, this didn’t heat up the passenger area of the bus. So school districts started installing auxiliary heaters which operate as hot water furnaces utilizing the buses own diesel fuel and batteries to produce heat. The heaters circulates engine coolant to transfer heat to the engine and heat exchangers. Often, these heaters are timer controlled and start 1-2 hours prior to engine start-up.
The heater becomes part of the school bus heating system, supplying added heat for passengers while reducing fuel costs and emissions from unnecessary engine idling. An integrated pump circulates heated coolant to warm the engine block, making starting easier while reducing start-up engine wear.
The lines that carry the coolant thru the heat exchangers and the engine typically run along the floor of the bus. Rescuers often remove the side windows of a school bus and cut from the bottom of the window to the bus floor. Rescuers need to locate any coolant lines prior to cutting to ensure the lines are not cut and leak heat coolant.
