Every truck company should be prepared to handle those obscure rescues like: machinery entrapments (fingers, hands, arms) Child stuck in a swing seat, and even simple ring removals. These calls can easily be handled by a well-trained and properly equipped crew and a little ingenuity. Included below are some photos and inventory list of the Man in Machine (MIM) Kit carried on Winter Park (FL) Truck 61. The kit is carried in a Pelican Box with shelves made from ½†HDPE plastic, and tools are secured in place with Velcro straps. The box is a little on the heavy side, but meets the need. We’ll point out a few of the more oddball items included in the kit with a quick explanation of how it’s utilized.
Many of the newer style of wedding rings are made from more exotic materials than previously found like tungsten carbide and titanium. These modern ring materials are to strong for the traditional ring removal tools often found in medical bags. This kit contains a ring cracker specifically made for tungsten carbide rings and a dremel tool and spoon handles for cutting titanium rings. The spoon handle is placed under the ring in between the ring and patients finger so the dremel blade does not come in contact with skin.
The snap ring pliers is a great tool to carry since many machine components like rollers are held in place by snap rings on the ends. The snap rings are present to allow of the machine to be taken apart for maintenance. When dealing with a MIM type rescue, sometimes the simplest way to remove the entrapment is to take the effected portion of the machine apart instead of just trying to pry or defeat it in a destructive and often more time consuming method.
Having simple lubricants handy like soapy water and vegetable oil work well in instances when less traumatic injuries are present and the effected body part is simply “stuck.†The water can be used as a cooling agent when any of the grinding tools are being utilized. Simply poking a few holes in the cap of the water bottle allows for the water to be squeezed out or dripped into the area of need.
This kit is by no means the best kit out there; it has been assembled to handle the most common types of MIM incidents Truck 61 has encountered. Depending on the type of entrapment other items found on the truck are also utilized such as simple mechanics tools.
TOP
(2) SNAP RING PLIERS
(1) RING CRACKER w/ (2) SPOON HANDLES
(1) WIRE CUTTERS and (1) HEAVY DUTY END NIPPER
(1) SMALL HACK SAW w/ SPARE BLADES
(1) TIN SNIP
(1) SMALL FLAT HEAD SCREW DRIVER and (1) MULTI-HEAD SCREW DRIVER
(1) 9†PRY BAR and (1) 11†PRY BAR
(1) LONG REACH NEEDLE NOSE PLIERS and (1) LONG REACH 90 degree NEEDLE NOSE PLIERS
REMOVABLE TRAY
(3) COMPOSITE GRIND WHEELS
(1) 2†PUTTY KNIFE
(1) 3†PUTTY KNIFE
(1) 4†PUTTY KNIFE
(1) PLASTIC MOLDING REMOVER
(1) 18“ PRY BAR
(1) LARGE HACK SAW (stored on back side of tray)
BOTTOM
(1) STEEL WEDGE
(1) ANGLE GRINDER w/ DIAMOND BLADE
(1) DREMEL TOOL
(1) 2.5lb DEAD BLOW HAMMER
(2) DREMEL TOOL ACCESSORY KITS
(1) 1000ml VEGETABLE OIL
(1) 1000ml WATER
(1) 1000ml SOAPY WATER
(1) LARGE HACK SAW BLADE PACK
There are some tremendous resources available to learn more about MIM type Rescues, the guys over at www.plvulcanfiretrainingconcepts.com have some great resources. Also www.countyfiretactics.com has been featuring a bunch of MIM props that Andrew Brassard from www.brotherhoodinstructors.com has been submitting. It doesn’t take much to assemble a kit to increase your capabilities for the often challenging calls. So what other items have you found a need for in your MIM kit?
I’m afraid they aren’t able to show us the woman in machine kit…this being a “family” website.
What model case is that? size?
I like the kit, some good useful stuff in there. If you can’t afford the $90 ring cutter, vise grips will work:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poM423pewRE
This is a very well prepared kit. Teaching this program throughout the country, you guys have a great “quick-hit” setup available to you. If I may, thick rubber bands work very well for the ring removals. Also, heavy duty fishing line or commercial grade weed whacker string with wooden dowels as handles is successful for those ever popular “fat kid in a little swing” call….
well well well. Man in the machine has come a long way since Lt Gary Howard Of Rescue 2 FDNY first came up with the idea of putting a couple of the common tools we had used at these type calls in a bag so we could gain better position. We would usually be special called to these type of calls and the first due companys were always very reluctant to give way. If we had something they didn’t they usually had no choice and had to give way.We then would call back to the rig for whatever else we needed. Over time the bag became a box, then a bigger box. I think now its 2 large tool boxes and VERY heavy…lol
@ Matt This Pelican case is model 1550 and it’s internal dimensions are 18.43″ x 14.00″ x 7.62″. Here is the link to this case on the Pelican website; http://www.pelicancases.com/1550-p/1550.htm
eric
I think this is great. I am a former member of the massage qua Fire Dept. This is something every fire department should carry.
This is a good video to watch if you don’t have a ring cutter or don’t have enough room to cut the ring.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxoAbK5Pc6w
Found this video while researching Man in Machine Kits.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=poM423pewRE
Being from a FL department also, I find this to be one of the most practical for our use MIM Kits I’ve come across. I’ll be taking a look in Logistics for a suitable sized spare Pelican Box and using your ideas, putting one together to carry on our Truck 84 which is TRT. Awesome job guys! Thanks for sharing!
the video shows how we do it, instead of elastic we use silk suture line then thread the already attached needle under the ring and unwind. I havent had to cut a ring in 10 years with this method and the suture is free at your local ER.
K-Y and a 10 cc syringe, small angio.
Fill syringe with lube, use teflon catheter to slide past stuck finger (or whatever). Inject lube. Extract finger. Cheap/easy/works.
It’ll also save a lot of cash and time for those on a restricted budget who ddagfeceeddebaed
Very nice site!
Is this a purchased kit or did you assemble it? If it can be purchased, where did you get it? Thank you!
Hello!
Where did you obtain the bottles at for the vegetable oil, soapy water and water? Thank you!
Hello I was wondering how you secured the tool board to the lid of the case and what you made that panel and the removable one from we have a Rescue company and are trying to improve our Man in Machine kit thanks !
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does anyone have a SOG/Training package out there for Man and Machine kits??
Nice kit and good selection of tools. We found out do not keep the blade on the Dremel. The blade breaks real easy from the tool bouncing around inside the tool box. It only that’s a few seconds to attach the blade especially if you are using the EZ Locking Cutting Blades
Great ideas! The only limit to a good kit is your imagination, so think outside the box. Here are a few suggestions that could make your MIM “better” & don’t take up much more space or $$$.
Nutcracker or Nut Splitter. Google them, there are manual and hydraulic (aviation) varieties available. Home Depot now carries Heavy Duty Milwaukee Demolition Screwdrivers, inexpensive & durable. Add an aerosol can of WD 40 with the new long flexible spray tube allows you to reach the deep dark recesses of machines (WALMART or HD). Try a dedicated set of professional (SnapOn, Stanley PROTO, MATCO) Cold Chisels and a large & small Ball Pein Hammer goes a long way when brute cutting force is called for. Finally, consider a log splitting wedge. It works wonders when separating assemblies. Stay Safe! Remember Your family is waiting for you at home!!! May the Good Lord watch over and protect you and your crew from any hurt, harm or danger!
Check out this Hydraulic Nut Splitter. It looks like it would be a great go-to tool when needing to extricate someone and not being able to disassemble a machine.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011QCSWAU/ref=pd_luc_rh_sspa_dk_huc_pt_expsub_0?psc=1