>>> UNIVERSITY OF EXTRICATION
By RON MOORE
Total Sidewall Removal
SUBJECT: Total Sidewall Removal
TOPIC: “Blowing Out the B-Pillar” Evolution
OBJECTIVE: Remove both doors and B-pillar on one side of a four-door vehicle
TASK: Given a simulation of two jammed doors on one side of a four-door vehicle,
the entire sidewall shall be removed using the “Blowing Out the B-pillar”
technique
A
lmost any time a patient is trapped, rescue crews have hydraulic rescue system cutter, although a recip saw or an air
to work with some portion of the side of the vehicle. If chisel can do the cutting tasks as well. Blowing out the B-pillar is
a four-door vehicle is involved in a collision, especially not a task for combination-type hydraulic rescue tools.
a T-bone collision, occupants can be trapped by a jammed front There is an easy-to-remember, easy-to-train sequence for
and rear door and by the inward crushing of the B-pillar. What the blow-out evolution. The words “Spread, Cut, Spread, Cut”
procedures does your department use when confronted with the describe the four fundamental steps that comprise this total
rescue challenge of total sidewall removal? sidewall evolution. Spread, the first step, begins by forcing the
There are four different overall strategies that could be used jammed rear door open at the latch.
to remove the entire sidewall of this vehicle. One strategy would
be to have crews remove each door and the B-pillar individu-
ally. Another plan would be to have the front door opened and
removed then the rear door opened and removed along with
A dedicated
the B-pillar. A third technique would assign rescuers to open power spreader
the jammed rear door at the latch then attack the jammed front begins the Blow
door at its hinges. Then with a cut high on the B-pillar, the entire Out evolution
by opening a
sidewall would be moved down and out to ground level like a jammed rear
wing. This University of Extrication column will discuss a fourth door using the
strategy; what this author refers to as the “Blowing out the B- vertical crush
technique. This
pillar” evolution. is a fast and
very efficient
Total Sidewall Removal Evolutions procedure for
limited staffing
1. Front door, Rear door, B-pillar situations.
2. F