The golden hour is one standard by which we gauge our success on the extrication scene. If we can get patients to the operating room in under an hour, their chances of survival greatly increase. But, as one great lieutenant once put it, “Sometimes the golden hour is 10 minutes.” The point: Time is critical to extrication. Anything we do to decrease time spent on scene provides a more positive outcome for the patient. There are several things we can do to accomplish this, one of which involves utilizing the right equipment. Our equipment must be powerful, fast and, above all, safe. The new CORE technology package from Holmatro Rescue Equipment accomplishes all three.
CORE stands for “co-axial rescue equipment,” which refers to the system’s complete design, from the pump to the end of the tool. The system features hoses and couplings with a high-pressure line surrounded by a low-pressure return line. According to Holmatro, this configuration makes using the equipment faster, easier and safer than before because it decreases the equipment’s weight.
Safety seems to be the buzzword in the fire service today, so any tool that keeps us safer is worth taking a hard look at. With the CORE technology lines, it all comes down to the hoses and the power unit. The high-pressure line is contained within the outer hose, which prevents the high-pressure fluid from reaching us should a tear develop in any part of the line. A switch inside the power unit converts the high-pressure mode to low-pressure (first-stage) mode, allowing a maximum of only 363 psi to ever come in contact with a rescue worker.
Due to the couplings attached to the hose, the power unit itself doesn’t feature any dump valves. This eliminates any confusion as to which tool is operating on the extrication scene. Once the power unit is running, all lines attached to it are in operation. The hoses themselves feature an incorporated safety ratio of 4:1. Constructed of Kevlar, they are reinforced, but not with steel wires, as seen in two-line systems. The hoses are also highly flexible due to their construction, and they’re 40 percent lighter than their steel-reinforced counterparts.
My test of this product turned into a showdown between the current technology of a two-line system versus the new one-line CORE technology system. Because time is critical on the extrication scene, I wanted to find out just how much faster the CORE system really was compared to a two-line system. Starting at the pump, I plugged the male end into the power unit and the female end into the spreaders. (Indicators on the hoses dictate which end goes where so there’s no confusion.) Once connected, I picked up the spreaders and simply walked away. As soon as I began walking, the couplers on either end began to spin freely due to their 360-degree free-spin design, which allowed the hose to unravel itself. So is the CORE faster? You bet. Simple math dictates that you only have to connect one hose on each end instead of two, and with the 360-degree free-spinning couplings, I didn’t have to stretch the line out to the tool to unravel it as I would with a traditional two-line system.
Not only was the CORE system faster, it was also easier to deploy and utilize compared with a two-line system, because, as mentioned above, I made only half the connections and simply walked away with the tool.
After this first test, I put a tool into operation, disconnected it and then reapplied the CORE line back into the tool. The task was a breeze, confirming my assumption that it’s easy to use the CORE lines on different tools while on the extrication scene.
Holmatro offers several power unit models compatible with the CORE technology. The latest power unit is the DPU31, which comes standard with the CORE couplings and hoses. Older models featuring traditional two-line couplings will be phased out as newer units come standard with the new technology. Certain models can also be retrofitted with the CORE technology if a department wishes to upgrade its power unit. Fixed systems on apparatus aren’t available yet, but the company is in the process of developing one.
Cost for the CORE hoses is roughly $100 more for a 32′ section of hose, making it a good deal for the money spent.àƒƒà‚ƒàƒ‚à‚¿
CORE Technology Lines
Pros
+ Faster tool deployment;
+ Safer for firefighters in the action circle; and
+ Lightweight.
Cons
– Slightly more expensive than two-line systems.
Holmatro Inc.
505 McCormick Dr.
Glen Burnie, MD 21061
Tel: 410/768-9662
Web: www.holmatro-usa.com
