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Home  In The News
In The News
Res-Q-Jack®, Inc. has received its patent rights on our Res-Q-Jack® Rescue Strut, X-STRUT®.
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 Written by: David Pease
Click Here For Original Firelink Story
When we look at stabilization we need to consider taking that extra “few” seconds to access our scene and vehicles, and what it will take to properly stabilize the vehicles involved. We talked about some of the basic wood and plastic cribbing as well as the types of movement we are trying to prevent. I want to look at utilizing the “buttress system” in stabilizing vehicles where cribbing would become extensive. When we refer to the buttress system, we are talking about using some type of extended jack or timber that reaches higher on the vehicle and has the bases secured by a series of straps or chains.
Let’s look at some different types of systems and how they work. The most basic of these would be to use 4″×4″ timbers cut to the required length. These could be carried in 12ft lengths and then properly cut at the rescue scene to the appropriate size required. A pre-manufactured base would be the best thing to use in securing the base, as the four by four would fit into the base and straps could be secured to the vehicle. Manufactured ends are also made that can be fitted on the tip for better wedging and friction. This type of system, although relatively inexpensive, takes up a lot of space and requires a fair amount of work on the scene. One advantage of wood cribbing when it comes to potential failure, is wood will pop and creak before failing under a heavy load.
There are several other systems on the market that use perforated tubing, either round or square that allow for easier use and storing. These systems are usually steel or aluminum. They come with either straps attached to the bases or attachment points for you to add a strap. They also have different designed tips to secure to the vehicles. Some of the more versatile systems even have the capability to lift and stabilize. As with wood, steel has the characteristics to show failure before it occurs. Steel and aluminum will show deflection and torsion and bend before failure. This is a plus, since we seldom know exactly what the weights and forces are that we are dealing with. There are also composite systems available, but personally, I do not care for these, and this is why. Composites are relatively light, but to match the strength of steel they must be made relatively heavy , which makes them not so light. They do not take the abuse of “beating and banging” as steel does, nor do well with long exposures to sunlight. However, the thing that scares me the most is, the only indication of failure will be cracks in the composite material that you may not ever notice. If over stressed, the jacks are subject to sudden and catastrophic failure. This is not a good thing. I think for the money, you would be better off with metal.
Remember that using this type of system does not eliminate the use of cribbing and wedges. These should be used in conjunction with the jacks and struts. We are always looking to create as many contact points to the ground a s possible and within reason. Four points of contact is our ideal goal and what we shoot for, but additional points of contact is even better. Utilizing the stabilization jacks does take up less space on your rig, and gives you a much greater capability of stabilizing higher loads. It is the ideal choice for heavy vehicle rescue, as I use them extensively in our heavy vehicle rescue classes. You are dealing with much greater heights and weights in these types of crashes.
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Controlled Roll of a Side-Resting Vehicle
By Cris Pasto, Design Engineer, Res-Q-Jack, Inc., Firefighter, Spencer, NY
A couple of years back, our department responded mutual aid to a car into a tree adjacent a steep embankment making driver side operations impossible. The vehicle hit the tree at the driver’s door & A-post. The driver had serious injuries. A futile attempt to free the driver was being made with a passenger side dash roll as the driver’s foot was encapsulated in the floorboard. The patient had been in the car far too long and I requested that we move the car away from the tree with the rescue winch to get access to the driver’s door. I was denied the option by the resident company because “you can’t move the vehicle with a patient in it !” However, I was permitted to set things up while they continued down their hopeless path. Another ten or fifteen minutes later which seemed like hours to me, we were told to move the vehicle. We had a firefighter holding the patient stable while the winch operator slowly pulled the vehicle from the tree until we had some working space. Once the vehicle was clear of the tree, we had the door popped, foot freed, and patient extricated in minutes.
Okay so lets accept the fact that a vehicle with live patients in it can be moved if done in a controlled fashion. We know this is often done in underride situations and we see above it can be done in that situation, but how far can we go with this concept? What about moving a side resting passenger car back to its wheels or at least partially?
Every now and then a discussion pops up regarding what the best extrication solution is for a side-resting passenger vehicle with a lower side front passenger entrapment. If the entrapment is minor dash interference then maybe the old-school steering column chain pull is the answer. However, throw foot encapsulation in the floorboard in the mix or some other complication and you may have a lengthy difficult operation on your hands. When I think about such scenarios I try to imagine that the entrapped victim is one of my family members for which I naturally want the best outcome not that I would want any less for another victim but this really makes it hit home for me. I always end up coming to the conclusion that I want that vehicle put back on its wheels to allow for the application of everyday rescue methods.
Well, curiosity finally got the best of me and I talked the folks at the 2008 South Dakota Rescue School into helping me determine how well it would work. I put a firefighter in the driver’s seat on the low side, with a firefighter behind him in the rear seat to manage c-spine stabilization of the driver. We then positioned a pickup at the undercarriage side of the vehicle with 2 lines attached between it and the front and rear posts of the vehicle on its side. We did the same with a pickup at the passenger compartment side of the vehicle. All lines were then carefully tensioned and the side-resting vehicle was restrained from frontward or rearward movement. The pickup at the undercarriage side slowly pulled the vehicle to its wheels while the pickup at the passenger compartment side maintained tension until the vehicle was safely on its wheels. The firefighters inside the side-resting car indicated that they felt the maneuver was very smooth and they felt very strongly that it would be a viable technique. Those involved in the above experiment as well as those observing unanimously agreed that they would not hesitate to implement the concept if ever warranted.
The above experiment only satisfied a portion of my curiosity. It only led me to ask a series of follow-up questions. What if the vehicle was in a location where you could not get the pull vehicles positioned properly? What if the situation would not allow for the vehicle to be completely righted? How far do you have to turn a side-resting passenger vehicle in order to have room to perform a dash lift? Could you do it with Res-Q-Jack lifting struts?
I grabbed Chief Dominick Smith of Watkins Glen, NY and asked him to help me determine if we could take the Res-Q-Jack® lifting struts and tilt the car back towards its wheels until we had room to perform a low-side dash lift. To add difficulty, we did not have a ram handy, so we had to pull it off with spreaders and cutters. He gladly offered assistance and we went at it with a sense of adventure.
We elected to use Res-Q-Jack’s struts with the new X-Strut® technology. These struts are basically a “combination” strut. They transform with ease from a passive shoring strut to an active lifting rescue strut in seconds and without confusion. It was just the two of us so we could only employ two struts as they require simultaneous operation. One strut with a fully extended lift jack and an extended strut was applied to the undercarriage side near the engine compartment. Another strut with a collapsed lifting jack and collapsed strut was applied at the passenger compartment side of the vehicle opposite the other strut. As the strut on the passenger side was extended, the opposite strut was lowered until the jack travel limit was reached. The strut was then pinned while the jacks were quickly reset and the operation continued until the jack travel limit was once again reached. The result was amazing. We now had the vehicle tilted at about a 30 degree angle and plenty of clearance beneath the door.
Next we took the roof, popped the door, and we were even able to make relief cuts in the A-post. We could readily see that a ram would easily tackle the job off the base of the B-post, but all we had were cutters and spreaders so we employed the standard spreader dash push. When cribbing beneath the A-post is not possible and significant relief cuts are not possible, lower A-post/floorboard tearing is common (similar to dash lift with upside down vehicle). To limit tearing we placed a piece of 4x4 at the floorboard to distribute the force of the spreaders. We were thoroughly excited about the successful outcome!
If apparatus or winches can be positioned correctly to get the car back to its wheels, that may be the best for the patient. Unfortunately, I believe that most scenarios are not going to allow for such convenience. X-Strut™ lifting struts or a combination of these struts with a winch or other pulling device may turn out to be the best solution.
I believe there will be 3 basic possibilities:
1. Apparatus or winch access from 2 sides
2. Apparatus or winch access from 1 side – in this case strut is positioned on same side of vehicle as winch. If winch is pulling from undercarriage, then strut will act to restrain on undercarriage side. If only access is passenger compartment side, then strut will be pushing on that side and winch will control.
3. No apparatus or winch access from either side – struts both sides.
Another variable to consider in all of the above possibilities is that there may not be space or it may not be permissible to put the vehicle completely back on its wheels for a variety of reasons. With that in mind, struts should be on hand to at least hold the vehicle in its final position as it may be necessary to eliminate the winch lines to complete the extrication.
Will it work if a patient is in the space? A patient would certainly complicate the situation but a backboard and straps may be the solution to holding the patient up to provide tool space. What if struts can’t be placed on one side for a variety of reasons? Can the vehicle be pulled to struts from just the undercarriage side only? Can the vehicle be pushed against a tie line in the event a strut can’t be placed at undercarriage side? I believe the answer to these questions is yes, but we’ll be playing around in the yard to be sure.
For follow-up reports on the controlled roll maneuver and other exciting techniques, stay tuned to www.res-q-jack.com. If you would like to join us in our research at Res-Q-Jack’s Stabilization University, you can attend one of our many Roll-EX™ events or feel free to schedule a time that works for you and your department to come to our “lab” where we can all share ideas and learn techniques that make our jobs easier and save lives! For more information call us at 800-466-9626.
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 Published: 5-27-08
Written by: Eric Johnson
See Original Story
It's the third Tuesday of the month, and for Boulder Junction's 25-member corps of volunteer citizen firefighters, that means it's training night at the town's Park Street fire hall.
Over the course of two-plus hours on this mid-May evening, turnout gear-clad firefighters will rotate through two training stations under the direction of fire chief Dennis Westphal, assistant chief John Titel and training officer James Hanson.
One training station offers firefighters a refresher course on the department's 300-gallon brush fire truck and the hydraulic vehicle extrication equipment carried on the department's rescue vehicle.
The other training station gives department firefighters the opportunity to use the Lac du Flambeau Volunteer Fire Department's Res-Q-Jack vehicle extrication lifting and stabilization rescue struts on overturned SUV and pickup trucks, with the assistance of four LdFVFD personnel - fire chief Paul Harris, assistant fire chief Tom Wegner, firefighter Chris Mayer and firefighter/EMT Laura Ackley.
The BJVFD is considering purchasing a Res-Q-Jack rescue strut system from the Elmira, N.Y.-based manufacturer and Westphal wants input from his firefighters on what they think of the vehicle stabilization rescue tools.
"I knew I wanted to look at these (Res-Q-Jacks), so I talked to [Lac du] Flambeau and asked them to come over to demonstrate them, show us how they work," Westphal said. "It (Res-Q-Jack) stabilizes the vehicle for extrication, which makes it safer for the patient inside and safer for those people who are performing the extrication on the outside of the vehicle, because it's completely stabilized."
Westphal said he and his firefighters were sold on the product's effectiveness at stabilizing the two vehicles.
"We probably won't use them very often, but if we use them once, they've paid for themselves," Westphal noted. "From an aspect of safety, have we crawled around cars that were tipped on their side and whatnot? Oh, yeah. We shouldn't do it, because somebody's going to get hurt and we don't want anybody to get hurt. That's why we're looking at these. It will definitely help with ... safety. It's another tool to use."
Lac du Flambeau's Harris told The Times that he's been pleased with the performance of the department's Res-Q-Jack struts.
"They've performed very well the few times we've had to use them," he said. "It (Res-Q-Jack) is a good system."
Harris said he's hoping neighboring Boulder Junction invests in Res-Q-Jack, noting it's helpful to be "using the same equipment" in emergency mutual aid situations.
Training mandated by state
Monthly training sessions for Boulder Junction firefighters - and their counterparts statewide - are mandated by state law.
"By statute, structural firefighters must attend monthly training," Hanson said.
Westphal and Hanson get together a couple of weeks prior to the department's monthly training sessions to plan activities, which are typically set up by Hanson.
The training sessions, which can include classroom textbook and video instruction and practical hands-on components in the field, provide continuing education and skill refresher opportunities for firefighters.
"Training is important to keep everybody's skills sharp," Westphal said. "It keeps everybody familiar with equipment and operations ... Being volunteers, we don't have the volume of calls like the big city guys do, so we don't do it all the time ... When you train, you can stay sharp on things - what lines you're gonna drag at a fire; what tools you're gonna take if you've got to go up on the roof; where you're gonna set up your water supply; how the water supply works; how the pumps and portable pumps work ... It (training) keeps everybody sharp. It's super important."
Particularly helpful for firefighters, Westphal noted, are the hands-on training opportunities.
"Hands-on is very important," he said. "You need that hands-on. You remember it because you've done it. You can read about it in the IFSTA (International Fire Service Training Association) training manual or whatever, you can watch a video on TV, but there's no substitute for being able to get out there and do it..."
Hanson agrees.
"There is a certain amount of classroom, a certain amount of videos, but the hands-on is far more important," he said. "You really do have to sit in the classroom and do some work, it's unavoidable. But the hands-on is much more beneficial. There's no comparison. The alternative is sitting and watching it and maybe doing some simulations and pretending you're doing it. But to be able to actually take the ax or chainsaw or whatever tool you're using and actually do it, there's just no comparison."
And fire training, Westphal said, also helps develop and strengthen the all-important "camaraderie" between department firefighters.
"Everybody's friends, but you get a little closer when you're training together, and I like that," he said. "I'd like everybody on the department to get along. Do we always? No. Do we have our disagreements? Yeah. But that's life and we go on..."
With firefighter/EMT Hanson on board as training officer and the recent addition of seven new firefighting recruits to the department's roster, Westphal said that he'd like to see the department's training exercises expanded to also include surrounding fire departments.
"I'm looking to work more with neighboring fire departments," he said, noting such experiences help familiarize firefighters with each other's personnel, equipment and firefighting capabilities, allowing them to function better together in mutual aid situations. "We should work with our neighbors, because mutual aid is an important thing. With Jim on board as training officer and a decent amount of firefighters on our roster, we can bring other departments in and work on these things together, where in the past it's been real hard to do that."
Lac du Flambeau's Harris agrees, noting joint training initiatives bring definite advantages to fire service operations, particularly in real life emergency mutual aid situations, when efficient and effective coordination among multiple departments is of paramount importance.
"It's very beneficial that we're on the same page," he said.
Structural donations
Particularly helpful to firefighters are those rare hands-on opportunities to practice on structures in the community slated for demolition.
From June through September, Hanson said Boulder Junction's volunteer firefighters will have the use of the multiple buildings comprising the former Nor-Wis Resort on Fishtrap Lake for various non-burn training activities, including roof ventilation and wall-breaching exercises. Nor-Wis is being divided into three properties for redevelopment.
"We can train on different tactical set-ups and scenarios," Hanson said. "It's almost unlimited what we can do. I can think of hundreds of scenarios."
Westphal says use of the Nor-Wis Resort over the coming month will be "a real plus" for his department firefighters, as they practice search, rescue and structural firefighting techniques while clad in heavy, mobility-challenging full turnout gear - bunker pants, helmets, coat and airpack.
"Rather than just sitting in the training room and watching it on TV - here's the saw, the ax, the roof ladder - and talking about it ... I can have a firefighter cut a two-by-four foot ventilation hole ... peel it back and open it up," he said.
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Walking up to the maroon Subaru sitting on its side, Bob Sandry grabs hold and rocks the car back and forth."I could probably push this over," he said.
Accidents in which cars like the Subaru end up on their sides or on their tops pose the biggest risk to the safety of emergency responders and those trapped inside the vehicle, Sandry said. The vehicles are unstable and can topple over while extracting patients.
With new equipment, the Sioux City Fire Department hopes to eliminate that danger.
Sandry spent Wednesday at a lot near PQ Auto Salvage, 3240 31st St., using junk vehicles to train firefighters on the Res-Q-Jack, technically called a slide rail strut system. In simpler terms, it's a tube within a tube that braces the vehicle to keep it from moving. The system is gaining popularity in the Midwest after being introduced on the East and West coasts six-eight years ago, Sandry said.
After firefighters placed the jacks on each side of the Subaru, Sandry again walked up to the car and shook it. The car barely moved.
"It's a whole lot safer to work on now," said Sandry, a firefighter for 20 years and owner of Sandry Fire Supply of DeWitt, Iowa, which sold the equipment to the Sioux City Fire Department.
Each of the department's two rescue vehicles will be equipped with the Res-Q-Jack. It will be an improvement over the blocks, wedges and other jacks firefighters have used to stabilize vehicles.
"There have been numerous times where I've been at a scene and it would have been nice to have this," Capt. Mike McClennen said. "It's one of those things where you don't use it all the time, but when you need it, it's nice to have it."
Firefighters also practiced using the Res-Q-Jack on a vehicle stuck on top of another and a vehicle lying on its top. |
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 "The Res-Q-Jack system differs from the others in that it actually uses . . . an adjustable jacking unit built into it (Figure 7-102). The Res-Q-Jack uses three tensioned stabilization points around the vehicle - two struts on one side and the adjustable strut  positioned on the opposite side. The final step in stabilizing the overturned vehicle involves operation of the jacking unit to secure the stabilized load. . . . Buttressed stabilization used for a vehicle that is on its edge or that has rolled over makes an immense difference in rescue work. . . . a properly deployed tensioned buttress system placed into position against a rolled-over vehicle can truly make the vehicle rock solid. The tensioned buttress stabilization technique is simple, safe, quick, and extremely effective."
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 By Stephen Byrd / For the Times
MUSCATINE, Iowa — In the past, if Muscatine firefighters were called out to rescue people from an overturned car, truck or van, they would first shore up the vehicle with large wooden wedges, blocks and chains.
Then three or four husky firefighters would brace themselves against the vehicle, keeping it from rolling over again while a paramedic climbed inside to treat victims.
Imagine trying to do that in a muddy roadside ditch, on a steep incline or on an icy road. At night.
“It makes it a very dangerous situation for the firefighter and the patient trapped inside as well as for his buddies trying to stabilize the vehicle outside,” Muscatine firefighter Ted Hillard said.
But thanks to a grant from Cargill AgHorizons, 700 Orange St., the Muscatine Fire Department recently purchased equipment that will help stabilize an overturned vehicle and keep firefighters and accident victims safe.
Hillard worked with Muscatine fire officials and Cargill operation leader Gene Walerius and manager Fred Oelschlaeger to obtain a $2,400 grant from the company that was used to purchase a Res-Q-Jack.
The equipment, manufactured by Elmira, N.Y.-based Res-Q-Jack Inc., is a multipurpose vehicle-stabilization system consisting of four metal posts as well as several bright yellow canvas straps and chains of varying lengths.
The posts, straps and chains are adjustable, allowing firefighters at an accident scene to set up the system at any angle on any kind of surface.
With the stabilization system locked in place, the posts can hold the weight of an overturned vehicle, allowing rescue personnel to either cut open the vehicle or climb inside and treat a victim without worrying whether their presence in the vehicle would pose a danger.
The posts can even be hand-cranked upward several inches in order to free a trapped patient’s arm or leg from underneath a vehicle.
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 Following From: EF&P Magazine Summer 2004, pg. 8
About the Cover
This issue's cover was shot in San Diego, California and features the Res-Q-Jack(tm), by Cepco Tool Company, in action
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JAMIE PRESTON OLMSTEAD , Register Citizen Staff 05/03/2003
TORRINGTON-- The Torrington Fire Department wants to trash your car - literally.
Utilized as tools for vehicle extrication training, Deputy Jaye Giampaolo is calling on Torrington residents to donate their used vehicles between now and May 12.
"The exercise is intended to train firefighters on vehicles that are currently on the road," Giampaolo said. "We’re not looking for rust buckets."
Vehicle extrication training combines the use of rescue jacks with the skill of a firefighter to stabilize vehicles in precarious situations, Giampaolo said. Whether pinned up against a tree or teetering off the edge of a cliff, rescue jacks can be placed in crucial locations to either lift or balance any automobile while fire, police or EMS personnel attempt to extricate passengers.
"Our guys are certainly at an expert level, but you can never get enough training," Giampaolo said. "We have to stay on the cutting edge and familiarize ourselves with the newest equipment."
Coupled with the recent purchase of rescue jacks by the City’s fire department, several firefighters certified in the area of vehicle extrication will serve as instructors for the training, which begins on May 13. During the exercises, firefighters will run through several scenarios that require the rescue of a human form or, in this case, a life-like dummy.
"This is a very dynamic training exercise," Giampaolo said. "It’s going to be very interesting and very life-like."
According to Giampaolo, all of Torrington’s fire personnel will take part in the training between May 13 and 29. Unlike training exercises in past years, which were typically conducted at the junkyard on Riccardone Avenue, the extrication drills will be held behind fire department headquarters at 111 Water Street.
"It’s the taxpayers hard work that has allowed us to buy the equipment," said Giampaolo, who invites the public to watch the training exercises. "We want to let them know that their tax dollars are going to good use."
Any individuals interested in donating vehicles will be provided with documentation for tax write-offs. All automobiles may be dropped off at fire headquarters prior to training and, in some instances, arrangements may be made to tow vehicles that do not run.
For more information or to donate a vehicle, contact Deputy Jaye Giampaolo by calling (860) 489-2253.
http://www.registercitizen.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=7902179&BRD=1652&PAG=461&dept_id=12530&rfi=8
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BY JOANIE MORRIS
SALISBURY POST
ENOCHVILLE—On Deal Road Saturday night, there was a bus on top of a car, a car that had overturned and farm machinery on top of people. There were also 68 rescue workers ready to help.
“We were planning on about 40 people,”said Coyt Karriker, chief of the Rowan County Rescue Squad. The cars, bus and farm equipment were part of a training exercise that was originally supposed to be a small training class.
“We didn’t turn anybody down,”Karriker said. “How many ever came, we just tried to make accommodations for them.”
At the training exercise, Karriker had a state instructor come to show rescue workers how to use the equipment on which they were training.
Rowan Rescue purchased a new rescue tool, called a ResQ Jack, and used it for the first time Saturday. It’s a stabilizing tool that cost $2,500 with attachments.
“It’s a time-saving device as far as stabilizing the vehicle,”Karriker added. That allows emergency workers to get victims out quicker, with a greater chance of surviving.
“That will enable them to quickly and effectively stabilize a vehicle that happens to be side resting or inverted,”Billy Leach, fire rescue instructor from the state, said.
“It will dramatically increase the speed and efficiency of a rescue operation. ... Not only will it increase the speed, but it will increase the safety of the workers as well as the victims.” . . . . . . .
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Multi-Purpose Vehicle Stabilization Equipment
 By now, we should all know that vehicle stabilization is important for a number of reasons. However, are we aware of all the various equipment and various methods out there for accomplishing vehicle stabilization? All are not created equal. If patient friendliness, firefighter friendliness, setup speed, cost, and versatility are among your criteria for equipment selection, you need to closely compare what’s out there.
Vehicle stabilization is an operation at a rescue scene which should be, in most cases, a present yet unnoticed operation from the patient’s viewpoint. In other words, this operation offers no direct relief for the patient, and should therefor consume very little precious time. It may prevent the patient from further injury, but it does nothing to ease there pain.
Passenger vehicle stabilization is not the same as building collapse stabilization. Building collapse typically dictates the use of bulky equipment with time consuming setups. Passenger vehicles are relatively lightweight and allow for the use of lighter components with quicker setup times. Considering the fact that the number of incidents requiring passenger vehicle stabilization far outnumber the incidents requiring building collapse stabilization, a rescue team should think about equipping themselves with the right tools for passenger vehicle stabilization and then possibly consider the more costly, less often required building collapse equipment.
Within the field of passenger vehicle stabilization equipment, there are many choices. There are a number of things to look for to determine what is best for you:
1. Firefighter Friendliness: Is the equipment understandable and easy to use. How do the adjustment pins work. Is it clear how the parts fit together. Will the rescue team put it to use?
2. Patient Friendliness: How quickly can the equipment be set up? It should take no more than approximately 2 minutes to set up solid stabilization on a side-resting or roof-resting passenger vehicle.
3. Adaptability/Flexibility: How easily is the equipment adapted or set up to meet the demands of a less than ordinary situation?
4. Versatility: How else might this equipment be used to justify a purchase?
5. Base Options: Can you strap the bases? How many straps can you use? Are there any pre-attached straps? Can you stake the base? Can you remove the base and replace with an end fitting?
6. End Fitting Options: Are the end fittings removable? What other end fittings are available? Will the manufacturer build custom fittings?
7. Adjustment options: How easily are the stands adjusted? Can you adjust stand length under load with a built in jack? Is the jack smooth acting?
The Res-Q-Jack™ equipment is a system available on the market today which satisfies all of the above concerns. The unique feature built into the Res-Q-Jack™ jack stand is the side-wind jack unit. This jack is a powerful jack with a 12" (0.3 meters) travel and a lift capacity of 4,000 lbs. (17.8 kN). The jack offers the ability to adjust the length of the stand under load. The jack moves very smoothly with infinitesimal adjustment ability and no "jumping".
Adjustable telescopic steel tubing offers quick coarse adjustment. Easy to use tablock pins allow firefighters to make adjustments while keeping their gloves on.
Interchangeable end fittings which simply plug into the stands are available in a variety of configurations. You can select from a channel head, inverted angle, chisel point, locking chain grab, beam plate, combination head, or join three stands with a tripod head. Certain vehicle components may demand a particular end fitting.
The base of this system offers many options for restraint. The "first out" restraint could be two pre-attached quick-acting cambuckle straps. If greater restraint is needed, a heavier duty strap or chain may be used and attached to auxiliary hook points. If straps are not suitable in the given situation or further security is required, the bases may be staked to the ground.
The applications for this equipment are numerous. The Res-Q-Jack™ design described above allows for use in many different passenger vehicle accident scenarios. Unique methods have been developed for different situations including side-resting, roof-resting, or car-on-car stabilization. The application of this equipment, however is not limited to motor vehicle stabilization applications. Other areas include: light structural stabilization, light aircraft stabilization, displacements, and various confined space applications. For more information you may contact Cepco Tool Company, PO Box 700, Spencer, NY 14883 USA. You may also visit their web site at www.res-q-jack.com.
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David Pease, Chief
The Reds Team
Stabilization
 We will now take a look at another important part of our extrication arsenal of equipment, stabilization devices. We, as rescuers, have come to realize the importance of good vehicle stabilization. This aspect of vehicle extrication plays a major role in the safety of all those involved, including our patients. I think for years, the importance of good stabilization was overlooked and under practiced. We have seen a tremendous increase in training on stabilization techniques as well as new equipment on the market to make the job much easier. . . . . . . . . . . .
Telescoping Systems
When having to stabilize vehicles and trucks, we find ourselves in situations where it would take a truckload of wood cribbing to provide a safe environment to work in. Over the years we have seen a new type of stabilization device emerge; a telescoping style unit that is designed to be easily installed. Most of these new style devices were designed with the help of those who have worked in the fire and rescue field. These units are lightweight and some even have multiple functions. They can be easily stored and take up considerable less room. However, I think there will always be a need for standard cribbing in vehicle extrication. . . . . . . .
Cepco Tool Company markets the Res-Q-Jack vehicle stabilization system. The Res-Q-Jack is offered in several kits with different configurations. The basic construction of the tubing is galvanized steel that is perforated on all four sides on one inch centers. This allows for one inch increments of extension. The tubing comes in two inch, 12 gauge steel and two and a quarter inch 12 gauge steel. The base plate is a five by six inch diamond plate pad that has a two inch perforated tube bolted on a pivot for attaching a jack unit, another piece of tubing, or a custom adaptor. There are 2 cam buckle straps attached to the pivot bolt. The base plate has optional hook points and 4 holes for anchoring to the ground if necessary. The jack unit is a sidewind type jack, that utilizes a threaded rod driven by the crank handle. A short section of tubing is attached to the side of the jack that allows for the insertion of an extension tubing, end fittings, or custom parts. The tube of the jack will receive a base plate, two inch tubing, or custom parts. The jack will lift 4000 pounds with a static load capacity of 7000 pounds and a travel distance of 12 inches. There are 5 end fittings available for the jacks. They are the flat point end, a channel style end, a ‘V" shaped end, an end with a rod protruding for slots and holes in the vehicle, and a chain grabbing end. The system uses tablock pins that are easy to put in place and remove. These pins are rated for a double shear strength of 10,000 pounds. A clevis pin with a locking cotter pin is used to attach the jack to the base. These pins are also rated at 10,000 pounds. There is also an assortment of chains, hooks, and straps available. Res-Q-Jack offers a variety of kits for the rescuer needs. The four-point combination package includes two jack stand kits and two adjustable stand kits. The three-point combination kit includes one jack stand and two adjustable stand kits. There is an adjustable four-point ratchet stand package that includes four adjustable stands. The three-point adjustable ratchet stand package has three adjustable stands. The two-point ratchet set has two stands. The jack stand kit is designed for fine adjustment and loading. This package comes with a sidewind jack unit, a base plate, 3 perforated extension tubes in 18 inch, 24 inch, and 36 inch lengths. The ram kit includes a jack unit and two 24 inch extension tubes. The big package is known as the Coral Gables Competition Kit and includes three jack stand kits, three end pieces, three chain and hook assemblies, and one roof rest package. There are many combinations of packages and kits available for the rescuer to choose from.
The use of telescoping style stands for vehicle stabilization is known as a buttress system or buttress type of stabilization. A tensioned buttress system is when you attach the base of the stand to the vehicle using a strap. When setting up a buttress stabilization system, one should remember that at least 3 units should be set to provide the minimum 3 point set up. The more points of the vehicle that touch the ground, the better. Every extrication situation will be different. These situations can also change throughout the extrication. As the rescuers cut and remove parts of the vehicle, the points of gravity and forces are subject to change as well. This means that you may have to change or add to the stabilization process throughout the course of the extrication.
The fact that stabilization has become a vital part of our vehicle extrication process, we need to pay more attention to the equipment we will need to accomplish this goal. Take the time to research the equipment available to you. This time will be well spent, and will benefit you down the road when that MVA occurs and you need everything you have to properly stabilize the vehicles at the scene. Wood cribbing is inexpensive, but cheap is not always better. Always consider an assortment of stabilization equipment as one kind may not meet your needs on every extrication. Also be sure to train regularly with whatever equipment you choose to put on your rescue apparatus.
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