RTC Vehicle Stabilisation

[Rich]

Stabilising vehicles on their sides at incidents: My brigades current procedure is to shore them up by splitting a short extension ladder and securing it under axles with ratchet straps to form an A frame.

I am looking for three things if possible:  

A written down drill for the above procedure;

Photos of this current procedure (which I 'm sure is still adopted around the country);

Good/bad comments from anyone using purpose built equipment ie Homatro/Webber vehicle shoring kits.

Many thanks

[Mr. P]

Seems more chance of damaginf ladder than doing good.  Whats wrong with the 'old' blocks and rubber chocks?

[Andy Cole]

How do you stabalise a car on it's side using blocks and chocks?

We use the 3X ladder and a GP line if we can't await the arrival of the RT which carries a new device doing just the job, I can't remember what it's called or how it works but I'll get some more info!!

[scott]

Stabfast?
http://www.angloco.co.uk/accessories.asp

[Andy Cole]

That's the one!!

Just as point of interest I've just returned from a 3 vehicle RTC during which we used this equipment (off the rt).
The car we used it on was precariously balanced with it's back end on the roof of another vehicle. The driver was severley trapped by his legs, we stabalised the vehicle and eventually carried out a very tricky B post rip and dashboard roll to release him, the driver of another vehicle was also seriously trapped by his legs he was released by removing the roof and doing a dashboard roll. Amazinly the driver (and 2 infant passengers) of the third vehicle (which had another vehicle on top of it!) freed himself and his kids and was fine up untill the point he fainted!!

Sadly I suspect the other two casulties will not live!

[Firewolf]

Reference your procedures Andy... we do a similar thing for securing vehicles on their sides. The only thing we do different is this:-

We firstly use the short extansion ladder in pretty much the same way you describe. One section propped under the front axle the other propped on the rear axle. Then we take the third section of the ladder prop it up on its strings and lay it parralel to the car so that the heal of each of the ladder sections holding the front and rear axles fits inbetween the rounds of the third section.

We then secure a 15m GP line from bottom round of first section of ladder which is propped holding the front axle. The GP line goes round the front axles to the rear axles then from there feeds to the other section of the ladder holding the rear axle.

We then feed the rope back through itself in the middle of the car finally terminating by tying the running end back round the first ladder section holding the front axle. You've got a V shape in the rope in the middle of the car if you like!.

Sounds a little over complicated for the task but it does make a damn rigid A frame.

[Kaiser]

Stabfast?
http://www.angloco.co.uk/accessories.asp

We are just in the process of putting Stabfast on to our new fleet of appliances, these things are the business, we rolled a car on its roof, stabilised it with stabfast, one of the instructors was jumping on the upturned vehicle to try and move it.  It didn't budge a inch.  They may look technical to set up but they are actually a piece of cake

[Andy Cole]

Firewolf,

Is this drill written down anywhere or is it one you've devised it sounds good, I'm not clear about how you secure the third section of ladder to the two sections propped on the axles?

Kaiser,

There obviously wasn't a dreaded Health and Safety inspector nearby when your instructor was jumping on the car!! LOL

[eddie burns]

Kasier,

We in Jersey have been usin the Stabfast system for over a year and we all think its a brilliant piece of kit.
Its much quicker to set up than the old triple extension ladder system and with the added benefit of not having two ladders in the way all the time.
Its simple to use and quick to get to work.

with one system you can now secure a car both on its roof and its side and its rock solid
Someone has obviously made a fortune designing a simple bit of kit that actually works well for the Fire Service.( lol)

[chris7]

A car on its side, resting on the side of the wheels is relativley stable. The A frame or Stabfast, London use Powershore, is fine in association with wedges. Should the vehicle come to rest on the wing, doors and roof sill , ie it has rolled further over, then the situation is less stable.

In this case the A frame, Stabfast or Powershore in conjunction with blocks are needed and a Tirfor Winch or tensioned line may be needed. The winch/ line is attached on the underside or same side of the vehicle as the A frame, from the axles to an immovable bomb proof anchor point.

The Cable is then covered with a sheet to damp any whipping and highlight the cable.

Chris

[Chunty]

We use a split triple X with rachet straps, it works pretty well and I've never yet seen any damage done to the ladder, but the stabfast system is fantastic and would be my first choice for this and many other suitable applications.

[toby14483]

We are always taught to use short-ex and ratchet straps too. Sometimes a 15m line instead of the straps as it can be quicker, depending on who is setting it up.

Never seen the other systems used around here (Derbyshire) to be honest.

[Kaiser]

Toby, if you want to see stabfast in use, get yourself over to Notts and we'll happily give you a demonstration of how quick, effective and easy it works.  Today whilst doing an RTC course with our retained trainees, we had a Mercedes 230E on its roof, took out both sides of the car, removed all of the chocks and blocks and the car still didn't budge one inch.

[toby14483]

Theres a guy from our retained station on wholetime in Notts. Might ask him about it.

Just looked up some google images, looks useful, it it heavy? Bearing in mind that should we get given one, our appliance doesnt have enough stowage room for a hooligan tool, never mind anything more bulky.

[birty]

Sounds a bit anal i know but in this day and age we should  not be using equipment that it not designed for that purpose. i.e ladders to hold up a vehicle. If your brigade risk assesed it then it would be banned. Put pressure on your bosses to get stabfast equipment. It is the correct tool for the job!!