Exercise at the fire station to train the use of hydraulic rescue tools

Hydraulic cutting and spreading tools are used to gain access to injured persons after traffic accidents. Hydraulic spreaders help to force doors open when the vehicle is deformed by the impact of the crash. Using hydraulic cutters firefighters can efficiently open cars by cutting off beams and other parts of the superstructure in order to rescue injured people. Since the machines are operated at an oil pressure of 800 bar within the system training is required to handle the force and the dangers posed by wielding these powerful tools. The exercise was carried out under perfectly controlled conditions and it can be hoped that the firefighters will be able to transfer their skills to a much more chaotic and challenging roadside situation they may encounter in the future.