I first posted this in January last year after the Haiti earthquake. With the fanning out around Christchurch today of specialist urban search-and-rescue crews, we might see some of these beauties being used to save human lives.
Our ‘machine of the day’ today has to be the amazing rescue air bag. An inflatable jack. So simple, yet such an effective way to rescue people trapped under wrecked cars or buried under tons of rubble. 
Just like they are in Haiti (where the only good news today is that their tax office now lies in ruins).
Just like that pile of rubble on the right that used to be a six-storey building.
But you’re no less trapped under the collapsed two-storey below.
You can lift gently and simply, with the lift always controlled and stable—even during aftershocks. The bag is always its own “safety mat.”
Brilliant! The mind’s ingenuity applied to the rescue of human life.
I hope there are truck loads of ‘em on their way to Haiti Christchurch right now.
NB: I can’t finds any clips showing the inflatable jacks in use in earthquake rescues. I guess everybody’s always too busy. But here’s a few clips showing ‘the power of the bag’ for lifting vehicles. You’ll have to extrapolate.
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7 comments:
I'm skeptical. The most difficult part of the operation (getting the bags underneath something) isn't shown on any video.
It wouldm't be as simple as jacking it up with hydraulics because that assumes a contiguous, structurally sound piece element. Nothing suitable was really visable at CTV or PGG I thought.
Not so. The bag is placed in a pocket between rubble, under a slab or beam or the like (always there in a demolition or collapse) that can help distribute the lift to other elements.
pretty sure the NZ fire brigade was using these 30 years ago
whoops, about to rewrite,
saying "weren't these in use 30 years ago by NZ Fire Brigade?"
PC, What's your view on so called "price gouging". I've been (predictably) getting flak over at kiwiblog for having the temerity to suggest that it's a good idea (in the wake of the quake).
Why not stick your neck out and do a post on this "sensitive" subject, as I know you are such a sensitive type :)
I think these would be useful for a private motorist for tyre changing. They'd need to be self-inflating but they'd pack away neatly. Gerry Brownlie could do the job too, you'd just need to ply him with pies for about 30mins and he would inflate beneath anything.
@Anon: Good idea. But you'd have trouble slipping Gerry Brownlee under any modern car in current production. :-)
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