Students' 'Transformer Truck' Changing Crash Rescue Training
5 June 2013
Both the Ex-Tractor and the SES vehicle will become valuable additions to the training resources that we have available to train not only our firefighters, but also other emergency services, in the best possible way to remove a casualty safely, effectively and as quickly as possible.
”Mark Burnham, project co-ordinator and Watch Manager at Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service
'Transformer' trucks have gone from movie fiction to real life training aid for the emergency services - thanks to the technical skills of University of Derby student engineers.
Following a brief by Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service (DFRS), a team of BEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering degree students have built a transformer HGV lorry which will be used by the Service in its road traffic collision (RTC) rescue training.
The third-year students converted a seven tonne DAF 75 lorry to create the Ex-Tractor - a vehicle that enables the Fire Service to rehearse techniques in removing causalities from vehicles.
Hydraulic jacks and removable bolts were fitted so that the roof, part of the driver's cab, doors and dashboard could all be removed or swung out; allowing firefighters to rehearse rescue techniques again and again.
A second team of final year degree students - on the BEng (Hons) Motorsport Engineering degree course - were given a separate brief to adapt a vehicle to be used in emergency service training that could demonstrate the real life deployment times of vehicle safety systems.
They adapted a Toyota car to create a Safety Engineering Simulator (SES) vehicle, which allows firefighters to practice working around safety systems such as airbags, side impact protection systems, seat belt pre-tensioners and adaptive headrests. These are all features integral in modern cars which deploy during road traffic collisions that firefighters must consider when looking at the best possible way to extricate a casualty safely, effectively and as quickly as possible.
Mark Burnham, project co-ordinator and Watch Manager at Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service said: "The enthusiasm and commitment that each student has demonstrated is commendable and testament to the fantastic relationship that Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service has with the University of Derby.
"Both the Ex-Tractor and the SES vehicle will become valuable additions to the training resources that we have available to train not only our firefighters, but also other emergency services, in the best possible way to remove a casualty safely, effectively and as quickly as possible."
Steve Hill, University Programme Leader for Motorsports courses, said: "In 2011 a group of final year students created a 'transformer car' for the Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service, to avoid the service having to keep buying scrap cars to practice vehicle rescue techniques on.
"It proved so useful my current students were asked to convert this lorry and the 'airbag car'. Word about the projects has spread through the emergency services' networks and we've had calls from services around the world. I don't think anyone has done anything quite like this before, which is a testament to the students' engineering skills."
Both the Ex-Tractor HGV lorry and the SES Vehicle will be tested in a live exercise at the Markeaton Street site on Wednesday June 5 for the Degree Shows' Schools & Colleges Day, when pupils from the region's schools and colleges visit.
Both Motorsports course projects can be seen by the public at the University's Markeaton Street site in Derby, until June 11 (2013), as part of its annual public Degree Shows; this year called The Big Show.
Students' work in crafts, fashion, textiles, fine art, film, design, theatre, visual communications, architecture, music technology, creative expressive therapies, art therapy and more subjects will be on display for free at this site, and at the University's nearby Britannia Mill building.
Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service is exhibiting both the Ex-Tractor and the S.E.S Vehicle at the annual Emergency Services Show at the NEC, Birmingham, from September 25-26 (2013).
For further information about the 2013 University of Derby Degree Shows see website www.derby.ac.uk/academicschools/bigshow
