OG 4006 Motor Vehicle Collision Response

Issued By: OPERATIONS (S. Thurber)
Approved By: Fire Chief William H. Mosher 
Date of Issue:  1997
Revision Date:  1993/03/29; 1999/05/26; 1999/07/15; 2000/02/09; 2000/03/06; 2008/05/12

BACKGROUND:

Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency (HRFE) while on scene is the lead agency for Motor Vehicle Collisions.

PURPOSE: 

To establish a response and operational guideline for dealing with Motor Vehicle Collisions. 

OBJECTIVE:

A standardized response will be utilized when responding to a motor vehicle collision. 

SCOPE:

This operating guideline applies to career and volunteer firefighters with HRFE. 

PROCEDURE: 

Response:

•    Normal response to MVC’s will be CODE 1. Responders based on the information received, traffic conditions and road conditions may choose to respond to incidents CODE 3.

•    Full structural firefighting clothing will be worn, including eye protection. Specific extrication style gloves may be worn provided they are approved by the Logistics Division and at the discretion of the Incident Commander.

Motor Vehicle Collisions have a four (4) Step process:

1)    Stabilize the Scene: 

Provide a safe working area. It is the responsibility of HRFE Officers and members to ensure their safety by positioning apparatus so as to protect firefighters from oncoming traffic. HRFE understands the urgent need of law enforcement personnel to keep roads and highways open and traffic moving. At no time will HRFE compromise the safety of its personnel or victims on the scene of a motor vehicle collision to keep a roadway or highway open. Any request by law enforcement to move apparatus must be referred to the Incident Commander (IC), who will make the decision based upon safety factors involved.

•    Vehicles will be circle checked to assess hazard and conditions before allowing rescuers access to the vehicle(s).

•    Rescuers should approach from the front of the vehicle to keep the patient(s) from moving their head.

•    Because a vehicle involved in a motor vehicle collision has an increased chance of catching fire due to fuel spilled or ruptured fuel lines, a charged hose line (foam capable) will be deployed. If foam is not available a dry chemical extinguisher along with the charged line will be place at the ready anytime a patient is entrapped in a vehicle.

2) Stabilize the Vehicle :

•    All vehicles will be stabilized before any work commences or patients are accessed.

•    Disconnect the vehicle’s 12 volt electrical system once the vehicle has been stabilized. With overturned vehicles this may not be possible but an attempt must still be made. Disconnecting the 12 volt electrical system may not be required for car/pedestrian collisions.

•    Due to air bag systems, even after disconnecting the 12 volt electrical system consider all undeployed airbags as live. Also remember that dual stage systems can redeploy even after the bag has already deployed. If this happens the deployed bag will be completely re-inflate. Always remember the 5, 10, 15, 20 distance rule.


3) Access the Patient:

•    Access the patient(s) and assess any injuries. If EHS personnel are not available, relay the information to the Incident Commander who will, based on information i.e. Patient’s condition, decide on the speed and type of extrication.

•    The Incident Commander should remember that the priority in which the victim needs to be removed is left to EMS, but the means of removal is left to the Incident Commander.

4) Disentangle and Extricate:

•    Due to the amount of different models, types and physical conditions of vehicles, positions that the vehicles can be in, the number of vehicles involved or the amount of passengers involved, it is impossible to have a set way of extricating a patient. Keeping that in mind, our goal is to reduce “on scene time” the Incident Commander will choose the most efficient and safest way to disentangle and remove the patient for transport.

•    When making cuts or relocating metal some form of “hard protection” must be placed between the tool blades or tips and the patient. This will protect the patient from possible contact with blades or tips or any possible flying debris.

•    When cutting laminated glass all personnel within the zone in which glass dust is present must wear some for respiratory protection to keep from inhaling glass dust.

•    Any equipment becoming contaminated with biohazards while working on motor vehicle collisions scenes shall follow OG 4002 Cleaning/ Disposal of Equipment Exposed to Body Fluid.

•    After the extrication is complete, the Incident Commander will ensure that the equipment is put back into service. If any equipment is damaged, the appropriate paperwork will be sent to Logistics to have the damaged equipment repaired or replaced.

RELATED POLICIES/ OPERATING GUIDELINES:

•    P-025 Response to Accidents Involving HRFE Vehicles
•    OG 4002 Cleaning and Disinfection of Equipment Exposed to Body Fluids

OPERATING GUIDELINE REVIEW:

This operating guideline shall be reviewed when/if there are changes/amendments to the procedure for responding to a motor vehicle collision.