Used my firearm in an emergency scenario today

[PAMedic=F|A=]

As is the idea that every car involved in a wreck is going to explode like on an episode of CHiPs. The OP was written as if this was the case, with no mention of injury evaluation. Thus, cause for concern. After reading further clarifying posts, that concern is addressed. Apparently done correctly, but overlooked in the typing of the op.

True, but I'd be pretty concerned about a car that was smoking. They burn pretty darn fast.

[streaker69]

Many years ago I was behind a girl on a dark back road when a van came around a blind curve in our lane and hit her almost head on. He had actually swerved at the last second and she impacted him right behind his driver's door. The impact threw her hood over her windshield and she slide sideways down the road, rear end in a ditch and front end on the road before she came to a stop. I saw the van before the impact and had already started to take evasive action, but I ended up spinning around 180 and sliding across the road into the yard of a house nearby. I watched the van bounce down the road and land in a corn field 100 yards away.

I shut my car off and ran over to the girl. She was screaming, engine was still running and her driver's window was broken out completely. I did a quick assessment, that she was moving her arms, legs and neck and asked her if she was hurt. She wasn't, I reached across unbuckled her seat belt and pulled her through the window because the door was stuck closed. I carried her to my car and set her inside and looked over her. She was bleeding from a cut on her nose, but otherwise she seemed to be ok. I gave her a clean Tshirt I had in my trunk to hold on her nose and told her to stay there while I ran down to check on the other driver.

I went to her car first, made sure the engine was off, turned off her headlights and turn on her hazards. I then ran to the van, I found the driver laying in the cornfield about 15' from the van. He was laying face down in the dirt, with an obvious head wound and was unconscious, but he was breathing ok. I checked the van for other passengers and didn't find any, but the passenger side door was open. The van was littered with empty beer cans inside. I make sure the engine was off, turned off the headlights and turn on the hazards.

Took 45 minutes for help to arrive after I got the house nearby to call it in. They were already dealing with another drunken idiot a few miles away. The girl was fine, but her car was totaled. There was a second person in the van, he turned up in the hospital about a dozen miles away a few hours later. He had taken off and left his buddy laying in the field. I chose not to do anything with the driver of the van because of the head wound and because he was unconscious he wasn't able to answer any questions. I did check on him a couple of times while we waited for help.

[gghbi]

Would have been interesting to have a dash cam back then.

[BB MBD]

I read first 3 pages.
In our CPR classes we are told not to move anyone in car crash unless they are in life threatening situation like heavy bleeding or car on fire.
Specifically pointed by instructor is neck injury where moving a victim resulted in damaged or severed spinal cord.

[jw34]

True, but I'd be pretty concerned about a car that was smoking. They burn pretty darn fast.

Agreed, but just about every crash has some amount of "smoke" happen at some point.
9x outta 10, its a busted radiator or hose dumping fluids on the hot engine, and the visual steam is misinterpreted as smoke. And about 10x outta 10, the powder that gets atomized during airbag deployment is misinterpreted as smoke.

Vehicle fires after a crash are few and far between. I understand the concern of fire and the need to move someone if there is a fire. But unless I see flames, it's not on the top of my priority list.

I'm sure you've responded to many a crash scene. In your experience, how many have caught fire?
I can say I've investigated and/or responded to hundreds, if not several hundred, maybe even a thousand car crashes. (Investigated being the fancy word for having to do the report). The number of crashes that resulted in a fire... I can count on one hand.

I'm also a fire/arson investigator. Ive seen more cars catch fire while parked or just driving down the road than I have after being involved in a collision.

[PAMedic=F|A=]

I read first 3 pages.
In our CPR classes we are told not to move anyone in car crash unless they are in life threatening situation like heavy bleeding or car on fire.
Specifically pointed by instructor is neck injury where moving a victim resulted in damaged or severed spinal cord.

Your instructor was full of crap.

[fallenleader]

Your instructor was full of crap.

see, this is why i keep moseying along my own business and let people be to themselves, regardless the situation.

no seriously. i was always told "don't move people" albeit i've no formal training.

[KCJones]

Needless to say, your story wasn't what I expected when I opened the thread... Good thinking, and shows it's always good to have a good heavy hunk of steel handy.

Toward that end I commend to the group's attention a tool called a "jeweler's mandrel." It's used for sizing rings.

It's a 12-18" long piece of steel. At one end it's about 1" in diameter with a handgrip. The rest tapers down to about 1/2" at the tip, and there are markings for ring sizes along it. You use it to find the size of a ring - put the ring on, slide it down 'til it stops, read the markings, that's a size __ ring.

They have to be really solid because another use is bumping up ring size... If a customer comes in and her ring has "shrunk" a bit due to excessive Dairy Queen visits, you put it on the mandrel, fit a steel collar on the mandrel and bang the hell out of it making the ring stretch a half-size or so (preferably in back when the customer isn't watching... They don't like their "lovely jewels" being treated so brutally.)

Point is, it's a really-well-configured hunk of solid steel for many purposes... I spent 25 years in jewelry, but my main use of it was to always keep one in my car. Perfect hand-grip. Light and short enough to swing rapidly and with velocity... But heavy enough to inflict real force. Perfect for smashing skull... I mean windows.

Given my livelihood, I always had an "out" why I was carrying one. But for anyone... hey... you never know when you may need to size a ring, right?

e.g. https://www.amazon.com/Steel-Ring-Ma.../dp/B0013TSW9I

[streaker69]

I'm gonna carry a rock hammer, cause it can get you out of all kinds of tight situations.

[KCJones]

I'm gonna carry a rock hammer, cause it can get you out of all kinds of tight situations.

Indeed, an excellent tool for those with an amateur interest in geology. And if it -just happens- to get used for another purpose... how fortunate.