Holmatro Quick Cuts 1 (2018): Rapid Dash Lift

In this new Holmatro Quick Cuts video, Steve White of Advanced Rescue Solutions and company show how to use the Holmatro Combi-Tool to perform a rapid dash lift for vehicle extrication.

[@TGraysChannels]

Impressive. Thanks. I have never had to do a dash jack.

[@aekaddabenziane6646]

Merci beaucoup

[@leogoddio]

Two mistakes... first the tool went into the drivers sit too much.
Second, no cut on the A post to make the dash displacement more efficient y release force of the structure

[@ronalddezanger2525]

Hi Leandro,Thank you for your respond. Because you refer to two mistakes in the video I would like to address them as remarkable points which differ from the ‘standard’ for as far as we can speak of any standard in road rescue scenarios.
What you see is indeed that the tool goes too far into the drivers compartment this is also mentioned by the voice over. He says if this happens you need to reposition the tool and start again.
Working with a combi tool gives a slightly bigger risk that the tool travels further in the compartment than a NCT shaped blade would do. This is for instance one of the reasons we have invented the Inclined cutters.Your second remark of not cutting the A-post high hasn’t been done in this case because they wanted to show the technique of a rapid dash lift. This technique involves only one relieve cut (A-pillar low) and from there you can start lifting the dashboard. In practice you will see that most of the times this technique already creates a large enough space to relieve the entrapment. Of course this is depending on the situation of the car, casualty and way of entrapment.Look at it as just another tool in the toolbox, give it some practice and see if it can be something you might ever want to use. Kind regards,
Ronald de Zanger
Rescue Consultant for Holmatro

[@troypetersen8885]

I don’t find these as mistakes as much as differences in operation. I am however with you in that when possible, I would prefer to cut the A post , additionally I would prefer to cut the fender well between the dash and the strut well to allow even more room to flex the dash up. There are times however when I would not cut either. Especially in a collision that left the unreleased energy flexing up and then directed down towards the patient. Some of these situations might be found in a “run under” where the vehicle was either actively under a large rig or just released from the same. In those cases releasing the stored energy in those crumple zones may cause displacement into the patient before you were able to start your lift. To prevent the tool from pivoting into the patient on your lower A post relief cut, try cutting from the fender side then crushing the mid post to the interior at 90 degrees to the vehicle, then make your cut at 90 degrees. If that fails, just pick up Holmatro’s cutter, the offset head should fix your issue :)