VehicleX Terminology

Action Circle

A clear zone established early in an extrication incident; 3m to 4m (10' to 15') in all directions from the vehicle involved in the accident.

Air Restraint Bags

A part of the passive restraint system of a passenger car consisting of a deflated air bag which is filled quickly by gas using a device which is either electrically or mechanically activated upon impact of the vehicle. This bag system affords extra protection of the front seat=s occupants during a vehicular accident.

Air Rescue Bags

An extrication tool consisting of air sacks or bags, compressed air hose, air regulator, control valves and a supply of compressed air.

Air Chisel

A metal cutting hand tool adapted from industry for use on the extrication scene. It is a system comprised of an air chisel gun, compressed air hose, air regulator, and compressed air supply.

Base Crib

A type of specified cribbing used as a base of support for rescue tools to rest upon while in use. Usually made of 2" x 8" boards of variable lengths.

Blanket Roll

A C-Spine immobilization tool used to immobilize the C-Spine of a patient lying on a long back board.

Body Position

The general term applied to the positioning of the rescuer=s body away from dangerous areas near rescue tools while they are in operation under force.

Box Crib

This is an arrangement of 4" x 4" or 2" x 4" wood cribbing where it is stacked in parallel pairs at right angles to the parallel pair immediately below.

C-Spine

A very common term in vehicle extrication trauma patient care. This is short for cervical spine or neck area.

Catalytic Converter

A part of a passenger car=s exhaust pollution control that super heats exhaust fumes, turning them into inert gases. This device can be extremely hot and is located under the car body in the undercarriage area.

Circle Survey

A method for rescue personnel to conduct a thorough survey of the accident scene which includes walking in a 360E circle of the entire scene.

Come-Along

A lifting or pulling tool. This is a portable hand operated winch. It includes an operating handle, cable spindle and casing, cables, and hooks. It is designed to be used in conjunction with rescue chain sling devices.

Command

A term used either to describe the person in control of an emergency scene or to denote that action of controlling an emergency scene.

Command Post

The central control position on an emergency scene where the overall scene commander will be located.

Cribbing

Generally refers to the specially cut and/or assembled pieces of wood used to support raised objects, as ground pads or bases to place tools that are working, and as blocks over which chains and cables pass while moving objects.

Critique

Constructive criticism. This is usually a type of training session after an emergency incident or practical training session where rescue workers go over their efforts and see the things that they did well and how they could improve the things they didn=t do so well.

Crowd Control

The safe and efficient removal of unnecessary people from the immediate area around the vehicles involved in an accident.

Cutters

The part of a hydraulic rescue tool system used to cut metal parts, sheets, tec.. It may be manually powered or powered by mechanically driven units.

D.O.T.

A common abbreviation term designating the Department of Transportation.

Dangerous Goods

Any product, substance or article that is listed in the federal Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations. Any article or substance that poses an inherent risk to life, property, or environment.

Dash Roll-Up

An actual displacement procedure where the front dash of an automobile is rolled or pulled up by using chains and come-alongs or heavy hydraulic or hand tools.

Dash Lift

A lifting manoeuvre on the front dash of an automobile used to lift the dash assembly up and off the trapped patients. This is usually done with heavy hydraulic spreaders, cutters and/or rams.

Disaster Box

A large box that is stocked with basic first aid supplies and stored for use by rescue personnel on scenes that involve a very large number of patients.

Displacement

A movement term that describes the moving of a part of a vehicle beyond its normal operating range, making space for the access and removal of trapped patients.

Door Latch Assemblies

The device which keeps the door of a vehicle closed.

EMS

A common abbreviation of the Emergency Medical Services.

Evolution

Usually used as an educational term denoting a practical procedure. (ie. roof flap evolution)

Extrication

A very common vehicle rescue term that is used to describe procedures used by rescue personnel to remove patients trapped by the wreckage or by their injuries from vehicles involved in accidents.

Freeze

An internationally recognized term used when a rescuer wants other rescuers to make an emergency stop to their activities on the scene.

Full Protective Clothing

Specially designed protective clothing worn by rescue personnel while performing vehicle rescue procedures in and around the vehicle.

Full Frame

A type of vehicle construction in the undercarriage that is used in some station wagon type automobile and light trucks.

Golden Hour

That special first hour after the incident where a traumatized patient has the best chance for recovery from that trauma if they can be safely delivered to an emergency medical facility and a surgeon.

GPM

A fire service abbreviation term for Gallons Per Minute flow of a liquid.

Hatch Back

Common description of a vehicle that has a rear access door to the passenger compartment area or rear storage area.

Hazard Control

This describes the handling of hazards on the extrication scene. It can also denote a command sector or subdivision of command on the scene that is concerned with hazards.

Hazardous Materials

Any materials exposed on an emergency scene that are hazardous by being poisonous, flammable, explosive, carcinogenic, or environmental pollutants. This is also known as Haz Mat in the emergency services.

Hose Lines

A fire service term that denoted water hose that carry water to the emergency scene from the fire engine.

Incident Command System

ICS - a system of control of the incident scene set up by predetermined procedures for effective control of complex emergency operations such as extrication operations.

Inner Circle Survey

The procedure of assessing a vehicle that has been involved in an accident; it includes a full circuit of the vehicle and assessment of the area in, around and under it.

Joint Command Post

A command post that is used by multiple emergency agencies on the scene of an emergency.

Kendrick Extrication Device

KED, a specially designed device for removing automobile accident patients.

Laminated Glass

Specially designed glass used in automobile windshields that is comprised of layered plate glass separated by clear plastic.

Loaded Bumper

A safety term describing vehicle bumpers that are impacted during an accident, compressing them upon their shock absorbing pistons and held in this compressed position by the subsequent wreckage.

Log Roll

A back boarding technique for placing a patient on a long back board.

Long Back Board

A spinal immobilization device upon which any patients suspected of having spinal column trauma are placed.

Manual Hydraulics

Hydraulically operated rescue tools in which the hydraulic power is generated by human effort on a manual pumping device.

Mechanisms of Injury

The actions or objects that cause traumatic injury to a patient during a vehicular accident.

Nader Pin

A door latch mechanism in all vehicles designed to keep the doors. Nader pins come in a variety of stlyles, depending on the manufacturer.

Overall Scene Safety

Describes the safety concerns of rescues for the entire scene of a motor vehicle accident, subdivided into personnel safety, patient safety, hazard control, traffic control, crowd control, and agency control.

Pancaked Vehicle

A vehicle rescue term used to describe an accident situation where the vehicle has come to rest on its roof with the roof crushed in upon the passenger compartment area.

Patient Access

A descriptive term that denotes the action of a rescuer getting to the trapped patient for patient assessment and care.

Personnel Safety

A term for the well-being and protection of rescue personnel during extrication operations.

Pneumatic Power

Compressed air power. Any tool or device power source that is actuated by application of compressed air from an air compressor or compressed air tanks.

Post Crib

A specialized vehicle rescue term describing a long piece of wood board usually 4" x 4" x 5' -6', used to stabilize vehicles that are on their sides.

Posts

A vehicle anatomy term meaning the rolled sheet metal assemblies on vehicles that attach the roof to the main body of the vehicle. (ie. A-post, B-post etc.)

Powered Hydraulics

Hydraulically powered rescue tools where the hydraulic operations is powered by a gasoline engine, electric motor or PTO from the rescue unit.

Primary Survey

In vehicle rescue this is the initial patient check done by rescuers of trapped patients.

PTO

An abbreviation for the term Power Take Off. This refers to the tools and equipment that are attached to the rescue apparatus and operate off the engine of that apparatus.

Purchase Point

A small opening made by the rescuer that makes room for the insertion of larger rescue tools.

Ram

The part of a hydraulic rescue tool system used to push apart wreckage; it may be manually powered or powered by mechanically driven units.

Rescue Chain Sling Assembly

Chain assemblies usually provided in pairs that are used as anchor devices to which pulling tools are attached to move metal. These are made in the configuration of a sling and include hooks, connector, chain, round or oblong link, chain shorteners, and an identification tag.

Rescue Chain Assemblies

Chain assemblies that are used as anchor devices to which pulling tools are attached in order to move metal. These are made in the configuration of chain, hooks and identification tag.

Roof Flap

The displacement procedure on an extrication scene that involves the cutting and folding up and away of the roof of the vehicle.

Sectors

Subdivisions of the incident command that place specific tasks or areas of the scene under direction for individuals who report to command.

Short Spine Board

A shorter version of the long back board that is usually used to immobilize the spine of an injured patient in the sitting position.

Slashing Across the Throat

Means - Kill the power.

Space-Frame

A type of vehicle construction that uses a bird-cage type frame assembly to which body panels and parts are attached.

Spinal Immobilization

Critical trauma patient care that involves the maintenance of the spinal column, in-line, in-place so that further injury to that area due to patient removal and handling will be prevented.

Spreader

The part of a hydraulic rescue tool system used to spread apart wreckage. It may be manually powered or powered by mechanically driven units.

Stabilizing

In vehicle rescue, this usually refers to the securing of the wrecked vehicle in which an injured patient is trapped. It can also refer to the gaining control of and handling of a chaotic emergency scene or hazardous condition.

Stack Crib

Also known as a box crib. This is the configuration of 2" x 4" or 4" x 4" wood cribs that are placed in a stack as an object is being lifted by tools.

Staging Area

A designated area away from the extrication scene where additional apparatus and manpower are placed in reserve until needed at the scene.

Standard Operating Procedure

Formal guideline developed by the emergency organization to assist in pre-planning emergency operations and procedures prior to the incident.

Step Chocks

Specialized cribbing assemblies made out of wood blocks assembled in a stair step configuration. These are usually used to stabilize vehicles.

Straddle Lift

A method of placing a prone patient on a long board by lifting the patient and sliding the long back board under the patient.

Straddle Slide

A method of placing a prone patient on a long back board by sliding the patient onto the board.

T-Bone

A descriptive term that denotes the type of vehicle accident where a vehicle collides into the side of another vehicle.

Tempered Glass

Specially designed glass used in automobile side and rear windows that is very resistant to breakage.

Third Door Conversion

A term that describes a displacement evolution used to open the rear side panel of a two-door automobile creating a third door or access opening to the trapped patient.

Thumbs Down

Means turn OFF the power to the unit.

Thumbs Up

Means turn ON the power to the unit.

Tilt Wheel Steering

This is the type of steering column assembly of a vehicle that adjusts up or down for the driver.

Tool Staging

A general vehicle rescue scene operation where tools and equipment are placed in a central designation area for the potential use at the damaged vehicles.

Track Cribbing

A cribbing set-up that entails the placing of 4" x 4" cribs so that they slide on themselves as chains or cables pass over them during steering displacement or metal moving operations.

Traffic Control

The safe rerouting or halting of vehicular traffic on a roadway in order to provide for the safe rescue effort.

Training Evolution

Learning operation, generally practical in nature, that develops hands-on skills for fire/rescue personnel.

Trauma

A general descriptive term that implies injuries to a person resulting from being struck by, hit against, or penetrated by an outside object or force.

Triage

A decision process where problems presented are given priority, giving the situation more orderliness for resolution. Usually used in context with patient handling and treatment of injuries.

Unit-Body

Also known as Uni-Body. A type of vehicle construction that uses the floor panes and undercarriage as a structural element of the vehicle eliminating the need for a full chassis for vehicle body support.

Wedge Cribbing

Cribbing shaped in the form of a wedge that are used to tighten and secure cribbing assemblies supporting weight. Usually used as a gap filler.

Working Load Limit

The recommended limit of force, measured in pounds of weight, that rope, chain, or cable can be safely operated with. It denotes how much weight the rope, chain or cable can safely lift. (Also denoted by the abbreviation W.L.L.)

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