Half the battle for success in any rescue situation is having the right tools for the job. The other half is having the proper training and experience to use those tools correctly and efficiently. With all of the choices available today, how do you select the best set of rescue tools for your department?

Whether you are looking for a complete set of tools or just for an addition to your current complement, the first step in the selection process should be a comprehensive assessment of your department and personnel. How many rescues do you perform? Do you cover primarily residential areas where traffic speeds are lower and commercial traffic is limited, or do you cover a large section of busy interstate highways with higher speeds and heavy commercial vehicle traffic? Do you have the capabilities to run electric power units, or do you need a gas- or diesel-fired power unit? How many people will you have available at the accident scene? What is the overall physical fitness of the people who will be using the tools? How much storage space do you have allotted for your tools?

If your department does a limited number of extrications in residential areas, your requirements differ from a department that responds to a lot of high-speed collisions involving commercial vehicles, heavy trucks and buses. Find out what tools your mutual aid departments are using. It may be an advantage to select tools that are compatible with surrounding agencies.

If your department is equipped with generators and plenty of available electrical power, you may benefit from an electric power supply, while a department with no generator would be limited to selecting a gas- or diesel-fueled power unit. Depending on the number of people your department routinely sends out on accident calls, you may be able to make use of a greater number of tools than a department with fewer personnel responding. If your department maintains a high standard of physical fitness, then the weight of the tool and fatigue-related factors will be less of an issue than they would be for a department with no fitness standards. If your storage space is limited, then the dimensions of the tools may be a major factor in your decision.

After assessing your department, the next step is to look at what tools are available that best meet your needs. The number offered by the manufacturers is large. The chart on page 66 lists many of the rescue tool manufacturers, the number of products they offer in various categories and Web sites for each company. The chart also shows how many tools in each category meet NFPA 1936 standards, according to their manufacturers.

NFPA 1936, Powered Rescue Tools, establishes criteria for the design, performance and testing of powered rescue tools and their components that perform spreading, lifting, holding, crushing, pulling or cutting functions. The standard also sets criteria for product conformance verification to assist purchasers in selecting powered rescue tools that are compliant with NFPA 1936. Independent testing laboratories like Underwriters Laboratories and the Safety Equipment Institute do the actual testing of the tools to certify that they're compliant with the NFPA standards. If the manufacturer states that a tool is compliant, it's not a bad idea to request a copy of the report from the testing facility that confirms what the maker warrants.

Review the field

After you have identified the tools that best fit your department's needs, its time to take a close look at the company that sells the tools you want. Where does the company manufacture the tools and where are its service centers located? If possible, arrange to have a tour of the manufacturing facility. Can the tools be serviced in the field, or would they need to be sent to a service center?

Ask what the company's policies are on loaner tools, should a tool need service or repair. Will you be provided with a loaner if yours is out of service? How long will it take to get the loaner tool to you? Are there always tools available to loan? A company may state that it has a loaner tool policy, but when you need a loaner you may find out that none are available or that you're on a waiting list.

Another question to ask is whether an offer to provide loaner tools in the event yours need work applies for as long as you own the tools or only for the warranty period. Remember, you may have this set of tools for 10 years or more. Look for service that applies for the life of the tools. Ask also if the company is available for technical support 24/7/365. Before you make your purchase, you might even want to pick up the phone in the middle of the night and find out for yourself what type of response you will receive.

Warranties, too, need a thorough assessment. How long is the manufacturer's warranty? Is there any type of extended warranty program? What's covered under the warranty and most importantly, what isn't? Are blades and arms covered, and if so, for how long? Can you push against the tool? Can you use it to cut Nader pins? What operations would void the warranty? What is the turnaround time for warranty repairs? Who pays shipping and handling costs?

Most rescue tools are sold through independent sales people or distributors, so find out how long they have been in business. Ask them for a complete list of departments in your area that are using the tools they sell, not just one or two. Call as many of the people on the list as necessary to determine the credibility and reliability of their products and services.

Another question to ask distributors or independent sales representatives is what would happen if they quit selling the brand of tool you purchase.

Don't forget training

Ask what training is offered after you purchase tools, who will be providing the training and what their qualifications are. Is updated annual training offered and, if so, for how many years? Does the seller have a trade-in policy or other allowance that would facilitate an upgrade if necessary? Interview your salesperson the same as you would interview a new employee. Remember, this is the person you will rely on to take care of any problems you might have for years to come.

Once you've completed your departmental assessment, determined its needs, and selected both the tools that meet your requirements and the manufacturers and salespeople from whom you may make the purchase, it's time for some hands-on demonstrations and testing. This should be a two-stage process.

The first stage should be a demonstration of the tools by the salesperson to as many people in your department who will be using them as possible. This may require multiple demonstrations so that everyone involved has the opportunity to see the same demonstration. Remember, the salesperson will be demonstrating the advantages of his tools; it's your responsibility to find any weaknesses or disadvantages. Be aware of bells and whistles that may be presented. Always ask yourself, “Is this something I would do or use in an actual rescue situation?” Repeat this process with all of the companies that you have selected.

Hands-on testing

At this point you should have narrowed down your choices to only a few. The second stage of the process should consist of your department doing its own hands-on testing. If possible, test the tools side by side. This is a great opportunity to incorporate extrication training into the process. Get the tools in the hands of as many of your personnel as possible. You want the tools evaluated by both the most experienced and novice members of the department. Ask them how the tools feel. Are they balanced? Are they comfortable to use? Are the controls easy to operate?

Ask them about fatigue. How long could you use the tool before you had to hand it off to somebody else? Did you have trouble using the tool in all positions? Could you operate the tool inside the vehicle safely?

Simulate accident scenarios. Remember that damaged vehicles are more difficult to perform extrication tasks on then undamaged vehicles. Operate more than one tool at a time. Switch between tools to check the speed and ease of changing from one to another. How difficult is it to unhook one tool and hook up another? How much time does it take to make the switch? How many personnel are required? How many parts do you have to keep up with? Does anything come loose or fall off?

Start and end your evaluation with the tools stowed away. How long does it take to deploy the tools and have them operational? How long does it take to stow them away when finished? How many parts need to be disassembled for storage? At the end of each evaluation, ask your personnel for feedback. What went right and what went wrong? What worked and what did not? Were there any close calls?

After your department completes the hands-on evaluation, ask the salespeople to return and answer the questions that were raised by your personnel. Remember, the more people in your department involved in the evaluation process, the more questions and opinions you will have available for the selection process.

At this point you should have selected your first, second and third choice. One set of tools may have scored high in the hands-on evaluation but isn't the best fit for your department. Take all factors into consideration. Review your department's policies and procedures to ensure that the choice you make fits within the guidelines of your department.

Determining what rescue tools are the right ones for your department requires considerable research and evaluation. You must ask the right questions, perform the right hands-on evaluations, involve all appropriate staff in the selection process and ensure that everyone keeps up to date with training. Remember, the health and safety of your department and community depends on the choices you make and the training you receive. Take the time you need to make the best decision and to ensure all your staff are properly trained in the use of your new rescue tools.

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QUICK COMPARISONS

COMPANY		CUTTERS	SPREADERS	COMBI TOOLS	RAMS	POWER UNITS
Advanced Rescue Tools Inc. www.advancedrescuetools.com	Quantity	1	N/A	1	1	3
	NFPA Compliance	0	N/A	0	0	0
Amkus Inc. www.amkus.com	Quantity	5	3	2	4	8
	NFPA Compliance	1	1	0	0	2
Centaur Rescue Tools www.hurstjaws.com	Quantity	6	3	5	6	15
	NFPA Compliance	6	3	5	6	15
Champion Rescue Tools www.championrescuetools.com	Quantity	1	2	N/A	2	1
	NFPA Compliance	1	2	N/A	2	1
Genesis Rescue Systems www.genesisrescue.com	Quantity	12	5	3	7	5
	NFPA Compliance	11	5	3	7	5
Holmatro Inc. www.holmatro-usa.com	Quantity	14	8	4	12	13
	NFPA Compliance	11	6	2	5	9
Hurst Jaws of Life Rescue Systems www.hurstjaws.com	Quantity	4	4	1	5	13
	NFPA Compliance	4	4	1	5	13
Ogura HyPower Corp. www.ogurarescuetools.com	Quantity	2	1	1	N/A	1
	NFPA Compliance	0	0	0	N/A	0
Phoenix Rescue Equipment Inc.www.phoenixrescue.com	Quantity	3	0	3	2	6
	NFPA Compliance	0	0	0	0	0
Power Hawk Technologies Corp. www.powerhawk.com	Quantity	1	1	1	2	1
	NFPA Compliance	1	1	1	2	1
RESQTEC Inc. www.resqtec.com	Quantity	5	2	3	3	10
	NFPA Compliance	4	2	3	3	10
TNT Rescue Systems Inc. www.tntrescue.com	Quantity	3	5	2	7	6
	NFPA Compliance	2	4	2	6	3
This table shows the number of units in each rescue tool category a company makes, as well as the number warranted by the company as compliant with NFPA 1936, Powered Rescue Tools.

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An expert with more than 30 years in the automotive field, Todd Hoffman has spent the last five years working closely with the fire service to develop advanced extrication procedures and accident scene safety programs. He is the founder of Scene of the Accident, a non-profit corporation dedicated to providing up-to-date safety training programs for emergency personnel at no charge. He can be contacted at todd@sceneoftheaccident.org.