University of Extrication - Stored Gas Inflators: Locations & Challenges
Subject: Airbag Stored Gas Inflator Update
Topic: Stored Gas Inflators: Locations & Challenges
Objective: Understand late-model vehicle use of stored gas inflators for airbag systems and the challenges presented by these inflators
Task:The rescue team shall be able to scan the interior of a crash-damaged vehicle to determine the presence of airbag systems and take action to identify the exact location of all stored gas inflators within the late-model vehicle
As the various types of occupant airbag systems continue to grow, rescue personnel are challenged by the need to determine where the airbags are in a crash-damaged vehicle. Along with efforts to initially determine the existence of airbags, especially the non-deployed ones, comes the challenge of locating the individual stored gas inflators that support most of these airbag systems. Any task involving roof, side, or now even dash and instrument-panel evolutions must consider these inflators.
This University of Extrication column visually explains some potentially unexpected locations for the inflators and the challenges that may be present because of them.
TASK: The rescue team shall be able to scan the interior of a crash-damaged vehicle to determine the presence of airbag systems and take action to identify the exact location of all stored gas inflators within the late-model vehicle
Ron Moore
RON MOORE, who is a Firehouse contributing editor, recently retired as a division chief with the McKinney, TX, Fire Department and now serves with Prosper, TX, Fire Rescue. He self-published the Vehicle Rescue 1-2-3 training manual and serves as the forum moderator for the extrication section of Firehouse.com . Moore can be contacted directly at [email protected].
