ADVANCED VEHICLE SYSTEMS

         Concerns for First Responders

      Refresher updates from SAE World Congress in Detroit April 2009

  

 

Primary, Secondary & Supplemental Restraints

·         What’s happening with new designs & pretensioning seat belts

(ATS) & smarter airbag supplemental restraints

·         FMVSS and SAE: Are Rescuers concerns about these systems 

           being addressed      

·         Vehicle fire hazard, extrication procedures

 

Energy Management Systems  

·         Boron safety cage concerns

·         New “B” post designs

·         Super & ultra high strength steel challenges

 

Hybrid Electric Vehicles  

• Myth, rumor & fact in vehicle crash and burn
• ISO SAE high voltage wire color guides
• HEV ERG’s, do you have an SOP or SOG?
• Vehicle fire hazard

 

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles

·         On the road this year! Are you ready?

·         5K & 10k psi storage tank burn tests

·         PEM cell (proton exchange membrane)

·         SAE burn test video review

What’s coming down the Pipeline?

• Stability control as standard
• Active head restraints
• Pre-crash system readiness
• Pedestrian protection
• Rollover protection

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First, full review of restraint systems including windshields and side & back glass, ATS pre-tensioning seat belts, front and knee air bags, side and curtain bags. Where they are, how they work, and how to avoid accidental deployment during extrication.

   Second, vehicle anatomy and changes in structural components and high strength materials used in today and tomorrow's vehicles. Sheet molded compound, carbon fiber or carbon-carbon, boron steel, ultra high strength steel & new cast alloy components are reviewed. Where they are, what you can cut, and what cannot be cut. 

   Third, hybrid electric vehicles or HEV's. Many myths abound and are dispelled, but they need to be identified at the crash scene or vehicle fire as there are potentially dangerous areas. All 23 hybrids have some similarities but each emergency rescue guideline is model specific, unfortunately. All systems in these vehicles are reviewed as to develop your own standard operating procedures.

   Fourth, fuel cell vehicles or FCV's. Another new drive train system that hit the road recently. Honda's FCX Clarity and GM with the Equinox HV and Chevrolet Volt. How they work, ISO standards, component configuration and 10K psi hydrogen tank and proton exchange membrane live burn tests are also viewed.

 

 The overall goal and objective of the classes are to prepare rescuers for their and the patient's safety at a crash scene, and better educate all on vehicle technological advances.  

 

 

 

 

Instruction Method

Classroom PowerPoint presentation and set up prop of mock dashboard and vehicle uni-side on apparatus floor bay or other staging area for air bag deployments and review of “strike” zones.