Gaining Access
Gaining Access
by Caleb Causey, Lone Star Medics
Over the years students have shared with me stories of helping others and themselves during various medical emergencies. Some have performed CPR, controlled severe bleeding, or even simply rolled someone into the Recovery Position while providing supportive words until EMS arrived. But there are some stories that are not so… simple. Students have reported that they had to cut through barbed wire fencing, break car windows, or rip off car doors just to gain access to those injured. Performing such tasks usually require tools; manual hand tools, big heavy-duty hydraulic tools, or even gas/battery operated tools. Before I continue, remember what I told y’all in class; “In order to be successful in any endeavor you need the right Mindset, Education, and Tools. In that order.” Today we’re going to talk about the “Tools” part. Specifically I’m going to explain why it is important to keep a few inexpensive, manual hand tools available.
Obviously there are times when it is best to leave the rescuing to the professional rescuers. Back in the days of being a firefighter we were on scene for almost seven hours pulling people and bodies out of a multi-vehicle collision on a freeway. We had six fatalities the first six hours on scene, transported a handful of patients, and found the seventh deceased body once the tow trucks started pulling cars apart. We used the Jaws of Life and several other tools that evening. Another night following a bad storm we had to cut through a rod iron fence, to chainsaw a fallen tree, to punch a hole through sheetrock, to chainsaw a giant oak tree that had smashed into a sweet old lady’s bedroom. She was uninjured, but it took us a few minutes to get to her. So there are times when it is better to let the professionals with better tools, better training, and more support (personnel and resources) handle the rescuing.
NOTE
I cannot stress enough how dangerous damaged structures (houses, buildings, vehicles) can be. Partially collapsed homes or buildings are literally deathtraps even for the professionals. Wrecked vehicles can have pieces of sharp and heavy metal under immense pressure; think like a car door bent backwards, but unknown to you it is a thousand-pound coiled spring.
Remember what I tell all of you at the beginning of every single course... “The number one priority when dealing with any medical emergency is your own personal safety!”
All that being said, there are times when neighbors, strangers, or even friends of mine (happen to also be LSM Alumni) have had to use tools to gain access to people, injured or not. Here are a few of those examples.
1. Union County, KY April 2024
Two children were trapped under their home due to a horrible storm. They made it out OK, but imagine what tools you might want to have to get them out? What tools do you already have on hand that might help gain access to them if they were your neighbors?
https://www.wymt.com/2024/04/02/2-children-escape-unharmed-after-being-trapped-under-mobile-home-that-flipped-during-storm/
2. Laurens, SC August 2024
Homeowner was trapped inside his home after a storm ripped through his neighborhood. He was trapped until rescue crews could arrive. Imagine how busy public safety officials may be as a result of a storm spread out over a city or town.
https://www.foxcarolina.com/2024/08/02/house-left-destroyed-by-thursday-afternoon-storms/
3. Eutaw, AL June 2023
In a small town a Good Samaritan and a police officer had to rescue a woman and her child from their home after a tree split the home in half. With limited resources stretched thin, communities had to rely upon their neighbors to get people out of the wreckage.
https://abc3340.com/news/local/three-people-reported-trap-after-eutaw-house-destroyed-during-storms-wind-trees-downed-injury-trapped
4. Gresham, OR January 2024
Here is an amazing one. Elderly couple pinned to their chairs after a storm pushed trees over onto their home. Neighbors tried to get to them but it was the firefighters who eventually got to them. “They (firefighters) were able to take their saws and cut a hole in the outside wall to get in… and get debris off us so that we could climb out.” – home owner
https://www.wbtv.com/2024/01/14/couple-left-trapped-chairs-after-70-foot-tree-falls-through-house/
5. Nick Hughes, author of “How to Be Your Own Bodyguard”
Few years ago Mr. Hughes came across a car wreck where the driver ended up trapped inside the car… upside down… down in a deep and steep ditch. The car managed to go airborne, flip up and over a barbed wired fence. The fence caused rescue crews several problems trying to gain access to the driver and carrying the driver up to the ambulance. Mr. Hughes had a pair of Leatherman Raptor shears with him. Nick, a strong and capable man, managed to squeeze the scissors hard enough to finally cut through the thick-gauged wire. Thus allowing the rescuers to compete the rescue. Do you and your family a favor, go buy Nick’s book, then apply it.
https://h2bg.com/author-nick-hughes/
6. Sam Houston, of Greenline Tactical and Warrior Poet Society
Sam (LSM Alumni) was teaching a carbine class when a student had a sudden heart attack. They initiated their medical contingency plan, and began CPR. Another student happen to have an AED in his car, but locked the keys in it earlier in the day. Sam retrieved his crash axe from his vehicle and used it to smash out the window to gain access to the AED. They were able to apply the AED, shock the man, and bring him back before EMS arrived. The patient lived, and thanked everyone for their help. You really should hit up Sam’s training schedule over on Greenline Tactical’s website.
https://www.greenlinetactical.com/
7. “Bob” (real name withheld, LSM Alumni) Central Texas 2017
Bob came across a small vehicle that had swerved off the road and straight into a barbed wired fence. The car rolled several times and managed to get tangled up in the wire fencing. So much so, that Bob tried desperately to render aid through the sharp wire getting cut up a bit himself. The fire department had to eventually use their hydraulic tools to cut the wire and were able to successfully save them both. Bob sustained minor cuts, but was thankful he kept his leather work gloves in his truck.
8. Greg Ellifritz of Active Response Training
Greg is a retired police officer who once shared a story about literally ripping the door off of a car while on the job. Now, I can’t recall if he did this to gain access to an injured civilian involved in a car wreck, or to gain access to a suspected criminal. Either way, Greg is a beast and an odd dude as it is. He’s a friend and someone who always takes the time to answer my questions, which there are many. Yes, I am advocating that you go get yourself a Gorillafritz and keep him in your tool bag should you ever need to gain access to… well, anything really.
If you are not getting Greg’s weekly “Weekend Knowledge Dump” emailed to you every week, fix that ASAP! If you value your life, travel, self-defense, or other cool stuff; go hit up his blog. Better yet, go sign up for his classes.
https://www.activeresponsetraining.net/
These are just a few examples of why having a few inexpensive, manual hand-tools might come in handy for bystanders or even first responders when attempting to render aid before the professionals arrive. As always, be sure the scene is safe before you begin providing aid; that includes rendering aid to yourself. Just having a pair of pliers or an old carpenter hammer secured under a car seat or a window punch hanging on a key chain may save a life. I’m going to cover different tools I’d recommend in my next article over on the LSM Patreon page. There I’ll explain details on the proper use of each tool, pros vs cons, and secure storage suggestions.
Drink Water,
- Caleb Causey