Now Emmons' Off Road Rescue Systems at:
www.CARFIRERESCUE.com
This is the Rescue Trailers and Wagons Page. Hang on this is going to be quite a ride!
Please see the other informative and interesting pages of this website for all the latest vehicle technology that can poise a risk to firefighters and EMS personnel. This is the new Emmons' Off Road Rescue Systems page at www.carfirerescue.com
What's New? Special design requests for the Balistica are in the works!
From New York: A folding/collapsing Balistica for Rapid Intervention to be stored on a Heavy Rescue Vehicle.
From South Carolina: Interchangeable rescue devices operating on the same Balistica platform.
From Canada: A Ski-mounted Balistica
From Michigan, New York, Minnesota, Idaho, California, Virginia, Tennessee, Florida, Texas, and New Mexico ... just something a little different!
Edgefield County, South Carolina: Recipient of the Outstanding Achievement Safety Award for the www.carfirerescue.com fast access and rough terrain rescue wagons, medical rescue trailers and tow vehicle. Congrats to the county and thank you for the nomination in acknowledging these unique rescue systems.
The newest rescue wagon/trailer configuration is the Balistica. This light weight fast access wagon has very low rolling resistance, four wheel steering for unsurpassed close quarters maneuverability, locks on each wheel for loading, a 1200 lb capacity Junkin brand removable rescue basket, storage shelf, multiple tie downs, spring loaded rotating front pull/steer bar and rear steer brake bar (neither are shown but are included). This model replaces the previous version. Starting Price: $1899 with options available.
MEDICAL RESCUE TRAILERS, WAGONS AND TOW VEHICLES IN THE previous EDITIONS of:
FIREHOUSE MAGAZINE ! See the Balistica Product Release on Page 52 of the March 2012 Edition of Firehouse Magazine
Now Emmons' Off Road Rescue Systems!
Contact: Shane Emmons at 803-624-7152
Thanks to all of you who checked us out in the past editions of Firehouse Magazine. As in the past your inquiries and comments will continue to influence further great designs. Thank you for the comments, support, feedback, and award nominations.
If your department has carried a person on a backboard, out of the woods, down a mountain, or off a mountain bike trail, you know it isn't fun under the best of conditions. Often this effort leaves rescuers with aches, strains, sprains and sometimes worse. If you feel it is time for a change. Please consider allowing for a demonstration of a low cost, light weight, highly maneuverable, four wheel steering, Balistica Rescue Wagon that can be specially tweaked for your departments needs and terrain! You will wonder how you went so long without one! Drop a request to s.a.emmons@comcast.net to share your specific needs and get something in the works!
"Get your equipment in .........Get your patients out!"
A solution for: Mountain Bike Trails Hiking Trails Confined Space Hazardous Materials Mitigation Industrial Site Access Evacuation Beach Rescue Body Recovery Sporting Venues Stadium Access Utility Operations Emergency Medical Services FireRescue SWAT Emergency Management Big Game Hunters Field Biologists Military, USAR, and more!
The Newest Fast Access Rescue Wagon/Trailer! The "Balistica", stronger, with an even lower center of gravity for uncompromising stability over rough terrain and areas of limited access.
The New Balistica Model was put into formal service with a rescue on January 1st at the Request of the Edgefield County Sheriff's Department. The joint rescue also involved the Edgefield County Emergency Medical Service and the Merriwether Fire Department.
The Balistica was taken a distance of 250-300 feet down what was about a 40 degree hill which was covered in slippery leaf cover, and ended with a gully at its bottom. Another hundred feet or so, the Edgefield County Sheriff's deputies found and unconscious women in need of immediate medical care. The women was packaged on a backboard with head restraints, and loaded into the Balistica which was then pulled, with minimal effort, using manpower from the various agency's members.
One of the late arriving folks asked how we got over the gully. "We never even had to slow down," said the person on the steering draw bar. Then the question was asked, "Well how did you get that thing (Balistica) with the patient on it, back over the gully?" The answer came, "We didn't have to slow down on the way back either!"
All went well, with the great team effort, using a new apparatus and demonstrating the ease of use by first time operators, who would have faced the very unhappy prospect of having to attempt to haul up the slippery hill with a loaded backboard or roping with a SKED device .
Although this did not challenge the Balistica's capabilities, it was rewarding to be doing a rescue, even a short and relatively simple one, especially with a happy outcome, instead of running testing exercises and simulations.
Thanks to all in attendance for having faith in the Balistica Rescue Platform!
Edgefield Counties Outstanding Safety Achievement Award given for the invention of the diverse rescue
wagons, trailers and tow vehicle, used within the county, to have a positive impact on reducing rescuer
Workman's Compensation Injuries, and thus reflecting favorably on the counties future insurance rates.
Below, Ricky Moxley gets some driver familiarity with the very pleasant characteristics of the Balistica in a rescue trailer configuration. The pull vehicle is a modified Rokon two-wheel drive motorcycle. The Balistica can be pulled by many vehicles, including ATV's, with a specially made, spring loaded draw bar.
"WHAT A BIG DIFFERENCE THE BALISTICA MADE IN THE RESCUE. I HAVE HAULED A LOT OF PEOPLE
OUT OF THE WOODS, OVER THE YEARS. COULDN'T HAVE BEEN EASIER. CUDOS SHANE !!!!" posted on
FaceBook, January 2, 2012, 1:58 PM, after the Balistica's first live rescue. Posted by Edgefield County Sheriff's Deputy Anthony Rackard who was instrumental in the operations. Thank you for the kind words sir! And to all that took part, thank you for having faith in the system!
Above: Merriwether Fire Department members, Cody Adams, Tommy Adams, Jason Sikes, Steve Culpepper and (not shown) Chief Joey Smith and Starr Holliday use a four wheel steering fast access rescue wagon in a training and photo opportunity.
A great value of the Balistica is the ability for one person to be able to load the unit into the back of a 6-1/2' bed pick up truck. This feature is of great importance when trying to get medical equipment into the field quickly in areas of tornadoes, rising flood waters, etc.
In tornado areas, Emergency Management Agencies can pre-station fleets of Balisticas in proximity to areas of available manpower such as military bases, or in proximity to high potential impact locations such as schools, hospitals, nursing homes, etc. When the storm has passed, a rescuer on foot can negotiate the debris, and so can the Balistica. Get your equipment in and your patients out, while not tying up your highly skilled USAR and fire/rescue manpower by having them haul the injured long distances on backboards. Let the Balisticas, and less skilled personal, or uninjured civilians, move the injured to staging areas once loaded.
The skilled members of the Greenville County South Carolina Emergency Response Team, were introduced to the Balistica for the first time, at Paris Mountain State Park. Within an hour they had the four wheel steering capabilities down, were running over obstacles just because the Balistica could, and made the haul out look like a walk in the park. Great job guys.
Shown below is a narrow clearance with an obstacle, and compound slope having a high back wall. Just one coordinated rear wheel turn and it becomes an easy situation to navigate using the Balistica. In use by Greenville County's first time users, it was mentioned that the Balistica was far less work compared to the Anderson wheel, while going over and around obstacles.
The Balistica offers a tremendous amount of reduced rescuer fatigue and risk of injury, while having the great benefit of stability and obstacle avoidance.
Shown above, a wheel catch is no issue with the Balistica! A coordinated front and rear steer does it with little effort.
A quick, well coordinated turn, makes quick work of this obstacle. Shown are members of the Greenville County Emergency Rescue Team, using the Balistica for the first time.
The ideal tool for rescuing injured hikers, hunters, bicyclists, and more. Immediately following a tornado, the Balistica is able to negotiate storm damage that will stop most other rescue apparatus.
On February 8th, 2012, Edgefield County was presented an award for implementing a unique line of rescue wagons, medical trailers, and tow vehicles, to reduce workman's compensation claims arising from the very laborious task of hauling injured patients, from areas of remote locations, throughout the county. Most notably, the 34 mile trail system known as FATS. The Forks Area Trail System is a mountain bike and hiking trail network running through Edgefield and McCormick Counties in South Carolina. Ms. Jewel Plaxco, Edgefield EMS Director, nominated Shane Emmons as a worthy recipient from Edgefield County for the designing, fabricating, and placing into service with the Merriwether Fire Department, the Fast Access Rescue Wagon, the Long Range Medical Rescue Trailer, and the Modified Two Wheel Drive Motorcycle. Merriwether Fire Chief Joey Smith had identified a problem needing a resolution, and turned to Shane Emmons to make it happen. Through the input of many individuals, firefighters, EMS personnel, Edgefield County Sheriff's Deputies, CSRA-Sorba members, and riders of the FATS trails, these very functional and unique units have come into being and are being made available to other rescue agencies.
Mr. John Henderson, Director of Risk Management with South Carolina Association of Counties, presented the Outstanding Safety Achievement Award to Edgefield County. Mr. Henderson stated that the equipment will be a positive factor in the rates that the county pays for Workman's Compensation Insurance. Shane Emmons received the award on behalf of the county, as Chief Joey Smith of Merriwether Fire Department and the originator of the nomination, Edgefield County EMS Director, Jewel Plaxco look on.
Please check out articles in www.edgefielddaily.com which were posted on October 17, 2011 and February 8, 2012 to follow these vehicles introduction, rescues, responses and more, within Edgefield, and the surrounding counties, of South Carolina.
The Long Range Medical Rescue Trailer:
Offering
a formidable combination of medical care, long range capability,
patient and attendant comfort, a self contained electrical system, and
carrying a suctioning unit, two IV's, two oxygen bottles, hydration,
portable communications, incredible lighting, and other features, this
unit can rock! At 39" in width, it is not suited for all locations but
it is the ultimate in medic and patient comfort, using several
suspension systems to absorb and transfer shock and jarring. The back board is included, however, the other equipment is supplied by the purchaser.
Rescue Systems similar to this model with multiple suspension systems are priced from around $4750.
Rescue Systems similar to this model with multiple suspension systems are priced from around $4750.
The Long Range Medical Trailer (above and below) is an ideal tool for Search and Rescue operations in rough terrain that has light to moderate obstacles and where tight turning radius' are not required.
This Long Range Medical Trailer responds as a primary rescue unit on the "Skinny Trail" within the Forks Area Trail System. This trail has few interconnecting forestry roads or access points, thereby having a potentially longer haul out of the trail system. The Skinny Trail also has shown to have the greatest frequency of injuries and also the most severe injuries, as it is also the sole connector to the Brown Wave Trail. Please be aware that motorized vehicles are not allowed on the Forks Area Trail System except for the emergency responses, and emergency preparedness training, that these vehicles engage in, with permission of the US Forest Service.
Here below, the Balistica is shown in a trailer configuration. As shown, it can be hand drawn or machine pulled.
Hand,
or machine pulled, fast response rescue trailer/wagons have low weight,
exceptionally low rolling resistance, high stability, and are available
with 2 or 4 wheel, manual, or automatic steering (pending). A person of
average build can easily pull a 240 lb patient up a significant grade
with one hand. Each is made with features specific to your trail access
requirements and department's needs. Prices and options available upon request. Starting at $2099. Here Ricky Moxley of the Merriwether Fire Department operates a Balistica rescue wagon/trailer with the optional pull bar for approved motorcycles or ATV's. The Balistica is the ultimate ATV Off Road Rescue Trailer and Patient Transport trailer.
A wide, specially modified, Argo Conquest, early model.
This modified Argo Conquest, is shown here, in service to the Army Corps of Engineers, Coot and Eagle Disease Study, Clark Hill ..........Now Thurmond Lake, in South Carolina and Georgia. This vehicle saw use in Federally declared disaster areas in West Virginia, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. It was used patrolling the reservoir areas of upstate New York after the World Trade Center attacks, and was used by Motorola Communications and Murphy Family Farms following Hurricane Floyd. It was used to drag animal carcasses by the Centers for Disease Control, located in Atlanta, GA, from the flood waters following Hurricane Floyd in Vanceboro, NC. This amphibious vehicle was my first rescue vehicle modified for medical transport, firefighter support and "deep-wilderness emergency search and transport." It served me and others wonderfully, and with distinction among scores of fire departments and disaster relief agencies. I am grateful to have been allowed to assist in those efforts.
Shane Emmons' Off Road Rescue Systems, makers of Rescue Trailers, Rescue Wagons, ATV rescue trailers, patient transport systems, for narrow access and rough terrain! Call 803-624-7152
"Get your equipment in and your patients out!"
As seen in Firehouse Magazine!
Please Check out our other pages for great info on firefighting, car fires, auto extrication, new vehicle construction, and much more! The following pages are filled with information of interest to Firefighters, EMT's and Police Officers who respond to auto accidents, especially those involving newer vehicles.
