ROTTERDAM FIRE DIST

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ROTTERDAM FIRE DIST 2

• VEHICLE AIRBAGS
• HYBRID VEHICLES

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VEHICLE AIRBAGS

• Airbags are called supplemental restraints
  because they are designed to work in combination
  with safety belts. All new passenger cars, light
  trucks and vans, are equipped with both
  driver-side and passenger-side front airbags (as
  of 1999).

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AIRBAGS

• The airbag system consists of three-four basic
  components.
• 1. An airbag module
• 2. Crash sensors
• 3. Diagnostic unit
• 4. Some systems have an on/off switch for
  deactivating the airbag

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AIRBAG MODULE

• Module contains both an inflator unit and the
  lightweight fabric airbag. The driver side module
  is located in the steering wheel hub, and the
  passenger side module is located in the
  instrument panel. When fully inflated, the
  drivers side airbag is approx. the size of a
  large beach ball. Passenger side can be 2-3 times
  larger since the distance from the passenger can
  be much greater.

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CRASH SENSORS

• Sensors are located either in the front of the
  vehicle or in the passenger compartment. Vehicles
  can have 1-5 crash sensors. The sensors are
  switches that are only activated by forces
  typically generated in significant frontal or
  near frontal crashes.

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DIAGNOSTICS UNIT

• Diagnostic Unit is an electronic device which
  monitors the airbag system. The unit is activated
  when the ignition is turned on. Most units
  contain a capacitor which stores enough
  electrical energy to deploy the airbag in the
  event the vehicles battery is destroyed or
  damaged.

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ON/OFF SWITCH

• On off switch allows the airbag system to be
  deactivated. Some trucks and vehicles without a
  rear seat may have a switch pre-installed.

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TYPES OF INFLATORS

• THERE ARE 3 DIFFERENT TYPES OF INFLATORS
• 1. Solid Fuel (Sodium Azide)
• 2. Hybrid
• 3. Liquid Fueled (hot gas and cold gas)

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SOLID FUELLED

• Solid fueled inflator uses sodium azide pellets
  to generate a mass quantity of nitrogen gas
  needed to fill the airbag. Temp can reach 1200
  degrees.

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HYBRID FUELED

• Hybrid usually in passenger side airbags and roof
  mounted systems. Argon gas is in a 3000psi
  canister. A small igniter assembly ruptures a
  burst disc to release the gas.

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LIQUED FUELED

• Liquid fueled inflators replace the sodium azide
  with jelled Ethyl Alcohol to fill the airbag.

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WHEN A COLLISION OCCURS

• When the sensors detect a moderate to severe
  frontal collision, they close an electrical
  circuit and send a signal to the inflator unit
  within the airbag module. An igniter starts a
  chemical reaction which produces harmless
  nitrogen gas. The nitrogen passes through filters
  and fills the airbag which then bursts through
  the module cover.

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WHEN A COLLISION OCCURS

• From the onset of the collision, the entire
  deployment and inflation process takes only about
  1/20th of a second, faster than the blink of an
  eye.

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AIRBAG SEQUENCE
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AFTER DEPLOYMENT

• Deployment is frequently accompanied by the
  release of dust-like particles in the vehicles
  interior. Most of the dust consists of corn
  starch or talcum powder which are used to
  lubricate the airbag during deployment. Small
  amounts of sodium hydroxide may initially be
  present and can cause minor irritation to the
  eyes.

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LOCATION OF AIRBAGS

• Drivers steering column
• Passenger side dashboard
• Drivers-side Passengers-side Doors and Pillars
  or roof rails
• Sunvisor Curtains
• Drivers and or Passengers side seats for rear
  passengers
• Newest version are in the actual seatbelts called
  belt in a bag system
• ex Renault and Laguan

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IDENTIFYING MARKERS

• Rescue personnel should locate and identify any
  airbags in vehicle. Markers can be seen on the
  dashboard, posts, steering wheel and doors.

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SECURING UNDEPLOYED AIRBAGS

• Undeployed airbags can be a dangerous situation
  for emergency responders. Some basic steps can be
  taken to help lower the chances of an airbag
  deploying unexpectantly.

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• 1. Turn the ignition off and remove the keys.
  This the safest and fastest step for helping
  secure power to the airbags.
• 2. Secure the car battery. (Reminder make sure
  power windows or seats have been used before
  securing power)
• 3. Work in safe distances. Do not place tools or
  equipment in front of undeployed airbag locations
  whenever possible.

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CUTTING POSTS

• FD2 needs to get into the practice of exposing
  interior plastic coverings and visualize what the
  cutter is going to sheer through. Cutting a
  hybrid inflator can cause it to fragment like a
  grenade. Testing done in 1999 of inflators being
  cut/damaged by rescue personnel resulted in parts
  of the inflators becoming projectiles. Parts were
  found up to 100 feet away from the vehicle.

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FIRES INVOLVING UNDEPLOYED AIRBAGS

• The compressed gas cylinders may become heated,
  fail, and fragment. It has been documented, that
  there were incidents where failures of the
  drivers airbag occurred, resulting in the
  fragmentation of the inflator units. Some units
  were propelled through the roofs of the vehicles.
  

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CONCLUSION

• Airbags are in every vehicle made today. Airbags
  of different sizes and types are being put in all
  different vehicles creating new challenges for
  rescue personnel at extrication scenes. As a
  rescue squad member we need to become familiar
  with identifying and securing airbags to ensure
  the patients safety.

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HYBRID VEHICLES
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HYBRID VEHICLES

• Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) combine the
  internal combustion engine of the conventional
  vehicle with the battery and electric motor of an
  electric vehicle. This enviromentally-friendly
  car results in twice the fuel economy of
  conventional vehicles.

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TYPES OF HYBRID VEHICLES

• Honda Insight 1999
• Toyota Prius 1999
• Toyota Estima 2000
• Toyota SUV to be named soon 2003
• Ford Escape 2000
• Ford Explorer 2002
• Dodge Durango 2002
• Dodge ESX3 2003

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Honda Insight
Toyota Prius
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HOW HYBRIDS WORK

• Most of the hybrid vehicles on the road today use
  a smaller-then-normal gasoline combustion engine
  combined with an electric motor powered by
  high-voltage battery pack(s). The motors work
  together to provide power to the drive wheels
  emitting extremely low pollutants.

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HOW HYBRIDS WORK

• Depending on the type of hybrid vehicle the power
  to wheels can be provided by just the electric
  motor, just the gasoline motor, or a combination
  of both motors. At low to idling speeds generally
  just the electric motor will be running. At high
  speeds (cars can reach 70mph) just the gasoline
  or a combination of the motors will be running.

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DANGERS TO RESPONDERS

• Most dangerous part of these vehicles to
  responders is the new electrical systems. All of
  the hybrid now contain 2 systems. The basic
  12volt battery, and the new high voltage system.

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12 volt battery is still the same basic size.
The new problem is the battery can be found in
different locations.
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HIGH VOLTAGE SYSTEM

• The Hybrid vehicle battery, transaxle, inverter,
  and service plug are all high voltage components.
  All of the high voltage wires and harness are
  indicated by orange colored insulation or
  wrapping. The HV battery consists of 38 modules,
  each module consists of 6-1.2 volt cells with a
  total of about 300 volts.

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BATTERY

• Battery is normally made of Nickel-Metal Hydride.
  The cells themselves contain potassium hydroxide
  (emergency respnse guide 154) which is highly
  alkalinic substance. The substance is extremely
  hazardous to human body tissues.

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HONDA INSIGHT
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TOYOTA PRIUS
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HANDLING DAMAGED BATTERIES

• No emergency responder should ever disassemble a
  battery pack. If a high voltage cable or battery
  is damaged in a severe crash the chances of
  getting a shock from them is extremely low by
  design, but always treat broken cables as though
  they are still powered.

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FIRES INVOLVING HYBRID VEHICLES

• Fires involving Hybrid vehicles may require
  larger then normal amounts of water to extinguish
  (excess of 250gpm). It is highly recommended a
  Dry Powder extinguisher is used in the engine
  compartment and trunk area to extinguish the fire.

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RESPONSE TO CALLS WITH HYBRID VEHICLES

• Hybrid vehicles identification
• Vehicle stabilization
• Access to passenger compartment
• Turn the key off and remove the key
• Check for the green indicator light on dash
• Secure 12volt battery

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IDENTIFICATION
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STABILIZATION
Low wheelbase of the honda leaves little ground
clearance.
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ACCESS
Foam rubber is common to cut air condition load.
Exposing what is being cut is essential to
ensure we are not cutting the orange cables.
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KEY
Turn the key off and remove the key.
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GREEN INDICATOR LIGHT
Check for ready light. If this light is still lit
the Vehicle has power and can move.
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SECURE THE 12VOLT BATTERY
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CONCLUSION

• Ron Moore is considered the extrication expert in
  the fire service. The majority of the information
  given regarding Hybrid vehicles was provided by
  him and his team from Firehouse.com. Ron believes
  with the technology of today these vehicles are
  here to stay and 10yrs from now its going to be
  unusual to run into a car thats not a hybrid.