During a road traffic accident, a structural collapse, or a victim extrication operation, firefighters and emergency services may be faced with heavy loads that need to be lifted gradually and in a controlled manner.
Air lifting bags provide a suitable solution for some of these situations. Compact before inflation, they can be positioned beneath a load and then inflated with air to create the space required for a rescue operation.
Pronal develops several ranges of air lifting bags designed in particular for rescue professionals. Depending on the operation, the choice is based on several factors, such as the available space, the load to be lifted, the required lifting height, and the ground conditions.
Why do firefighters use air lifting bags ?
During an emergency response, firefighters sometimes have to operate in areas where conventional lifting equipment is difficult to position.
This is one of the main advantages of a pneumatic air lifting bag. Its low profile before inflation allows it, depending on the model, to be inserted into a narrow space beneath a load. Once in position, inflation makes it possible to apply lifting force gradually.
This feature is particularly useful when additional space needs to be created to access a victim or move a heavy load.
Air lifting bags can also be transported alongside other emergency response equipment and used in a wide variety of situations. They therefore provide complementary equipment for extrication, rescue, and technical rescue operations.
The different ranges of our air lifting bags are designed to meet various operational requirements, from applications requiring a very low insertion height to the lifting of particularly heavy loads.
In what types of operations are air lifting bags used ?
During extrication following a road traffic accident
Road traffic accidents are one of the most common applications for air lifting bags in rescue operations.
A vehicle involved in an accident may end up in a position that makes it difficult to access a victim. Firefighters may then need to gradually lift part of the vehicle in order to create additional working space.
The air lifting bag therefore serves as a complementary tool alongside other extrication equipment.
Pronal offers the 4S air lifting bag, specifically developed for emergency response and road rescue operations. It can be used for vehicle extrication and lifting.
To free a victim trapped under a load
Emergency services may also be called to situations where a person is trapped beneath a vehicle, machine, piece of equipment, or another heavy object.
In this type of situation, it is not always necessary to move the load completely. Lifting it by just a few centimetres may be enough to create the space required to free the victim.
The low uninflated profile of certain air lifting bags makes them easier to position when the available space beneath the load is limited.
CLT high-pressure air lifting bags are specifically designed for insertion into confined spaces. The range includes various sizes and lifting capacities to meet the specific requirements of each rescue operation.
Following a structural collapse
During a structural collapse, firefighters and specialized rescue units may be faced with debris or structural elements blocking access.
Pneumatic air lifting bags can then be used to move or lift certain heavy elements in a controlled manner in order to create a passage or facilitate access for rescue teams.
In these situations, the air lifting bag’s compact profile before inflation is an advantage when the space available for positioning equipment is limited.
For lifting a heavy vehicle
Roadside rescue operations may also involve trucks, buses, or other large vehicles.
The constraints are different from those encountered with a passenger vehicle. The load, its geometry, the required lifting height, and the available surface area for positioning the equipment must all be taken into account.
4S air lifting bags are available in several sizes and lifting capacities to suit different rescue scenarios.
Which air lifting bag should you choose for each operation ?
The choice of an air lifting bag depends directly on the conditions encountered by firefighters and emergency services. The space available beneath the load, its weight, the required lifting height, and the operational environment are all factors that need to be taken into account.
Pronal offers several air lifting bag technologies designed to meet different requirements, including the CLT, CPF, CBP, 4S, and FRC ranges.
To discover their features and applications and identify the most suitable solution for each requirement, see our complete guide to Pronal air lifting bags.
Air lifting bags are therefore versatile pieces of equipment for firefighters and emergency services, particularly during extrication operations, victim rescue, structural collapses, and vehicle lifting.
To learn more, watch Pronal air lifting bags in action in this video and see how they are used in real-world lifting operations:
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