Who Will Be Using the Jaws of Life

Trained firefighters and emergency rescue personnel will be using the Jaws of Life. These hydraulic or battery-powered tools are deployed by certified responders—typically from fire departments, technical rescue teams, and specialized EMS units—to extricate people trapped in vehicles or other entanglements during emergencies.

What Are the Jaws of Life?

The Jaws of Life is a common term for a family of forcible-entry and extrication tools—cutters, spreaders, rams, and combi-tools—used to pry open or cut through metal and other materials after crashes, collapses, or machinery incidents. Modern sets are often battery-powered, improving mobility on chaotic scenes, while hydraulic versions remain prevalent for heavy-duty operations.

Who Uses the Jaws of Life

The following groups are authorized and trained to operate Jaws of Life equipment, typically under an incident command structure and established safety protocols.

• Municipal and volunteer firefighters on vehicle extrication or rescue companies
• Technical rescue teams, including urban search and rescue (USAR) task forces
• EMS rescue/extrication units in systems where medical responders are cross-trained
• Law enforcement rescue units (in departments with certified technical rescue capability)
• Industrial emergency response teams (e.g., refineries, manufacturing plants) with on-site rescue operations
• Airport fire and rescue services (ARFF) for aviation incidents
• Military and civil defense search-and-rescue teams
• Wildland/remote rescue crews when vehicle or machinery extrication is required

While the tools are widely distributed across public safety and industrial sectors, their use is restricted to personnel who meet training and competency standards and operate within defined response plans.

Training and Certification Expectations

Operation requires formal instruction, skills validation, and ongoing proficiency. Standards bodies and manufacturers provide frameworks to ensure safe, effective extrication.

• Standards guidance: NFPA 1006 (Technical Rescuer Professional Qualifications) and NFPA 2500 (Technical Rescue Operations and Training)
• Accredited courses: Pro Board and IFSAC-certified vehicle extrication programs
• Manufacturer-specific training: HURST, Holmatro, LUKAS, and others for tool capabilities and maintenance
• Electrical vehicle (EV/HEV) modules: high-voltage identification, shutdown procedures, and cut-zone awareness
• Hands-on competencies: cribbing/stabilization, glass management, patient protection, and coordinated tool work
• Continuing education: scenario-based drills, updates on new vehicle construction, and tool performance checks

These requirements aim to ensure operators understand changing vehicle technology, local protocols, and the practical skills needed to manage high-risk extrications.

Typical Scenarios for Deployment

Jaws of Life are used when rapid access or disentanglement is essential to protect life and limit further injury.

• Road traffic collisions with trapped occupants
• Industrial or agricultural machinery entrapments
• Building or structural collapses creating pinning or crushing hazards
• Natural disasters where debris or metal confines victims
• Rail or aviation incidents requiring forcible access

In each case, the choice of cutter, spreader, or ram depends on the entrapment type, structural materials involved, and patient condition.

Who Should Not Use the Jaws of Life

Because misuse can worsen injuries or create new hazards, access to the tools is intentionally limited.

• Untrained civilians or bystanders
• Responders without current competency validation or supervision
• Anyone lacking appropriate PPE (helmet, eye/hand protection, protective clothing, hearing protection)
• Minors or apprentices without direct oversight and authorization
• Personnel operating outside an incident command structure

Restricting use ensures scene safety, protects patients, and preserves evidence when crashes or crimes are involved.

Safety and Operational Considerations

Safe, efficient extrication relies on coordinated tactics and tool discipline.

• Scene stabilization first: chock, crib, and secure vehicles or machinery before cutting or spreading
• Patient protection: cover with hard/soft shields; manage glass and sharp edges
• EV/alternative fuel precautions: identify high-voltage components (orange cabling), isolate power, and avoid protected cut zones
• Tool readiness: battery management or hydraulic hose checks; blade and tip inspection; bleed-off procedures
• Hazard control: fire suppression at the ready, fuel leak monitoring, and hot-zone delineation
• Communications: clear commands between tool operators, medical providers, and incident command

Adhering to these practices minimizes risk to rescuers and patients while speeding safe extrication.

Summary

The Jaws of Life are operated by trained firefighters and certified rescue personnel across fire, EMS, technical rescue, and specialized industrial or military teams. Their use is governed by professional standards, robust training, and strict safety protocols to rapidly and safely free trapped individuals during emergencies.

What will Jaws of Life do?

A Jaws of Life power rescue tool is a special piece of rescue equipment used to save trapped victims from severe car accidents. Using the Jaws of Life, ensures safer and faster rescues altogether. This tool is made up of a group of mechanisms grouped together, each serving a specific purpose, for the rescue mission.

How many people have the Jaws of Life saved?

Over 24,000 Lives Saved
Know of a courageous rescue that used HURST Jaws of Life tools?

Who will use the Jaws of Life tool?

emergency rescue personnel
Hydraulic rescue tools, also known as jaws of life, are used by emergency rescue personnel to assist in the extrication of victims involved in vehicle accidents or railway accidents and cutting large-sized debris of mild metal structures into smaller pieces for extraction of injured/dead victims out from building …

Who uses the jaw of life?

rescue workers
Once rescue workers arrive at the scene, they will use an assortment of hydraulic tools referred to collectively as the Jaws of Life to cut away the framework of the car and lift it high enough for them to get you out.