Hello everyone! I am a Paramedic and a Training Officer for the State of Georgia. My main job is to teach rescue workers how to extricate people from wrecks. I was approached a couple of weeks ago and asked to do a class on Big Rigs. My background is in Education not truck driving so I am coming to you to ask what you feel is important to be included. Once completed I am going to try to get this out Nationally so anything will be helpful.

The rescue squad that has requested the training said they had a driver to pass away on them the other day while they were trying to get him out of the truck. Apparently the load came in on the cab and a lot of cutting had to be done. Some of the metal in the seat frame could not be cut using the tools that they had available.

What I want for any of you that are willing to help would be to tell me three or four things ( more if you want to) that you feel a rescuerer would need to know if he or she were responding to an accident involving a truck such as yours with a load such as what you would normally carry. For example Where do I find info about the driver if he or she can't talk and we can't reach his or her wallet? Is there anyone else normally on the run with you? Has your rig been altered ( bigger tanks, air ride etc)? What are you carrying? Is there anyone that we need to contact? Is there anything that needs to stay with you? You kinda get the picture..

I want this to be the very best program, so we can provide the very best care to each and every one of you, but I can only do it with your help. If there is some place else I can look please point me to it.

You should be able to post here or send an email to [Thanks in advance and Stay Safe!

Unfortunately, there is no standard location for the driver to keep paperwork that will identify him or his load. If his wallet can be found, it will give the personal info, but that may be in a pants pocket, or stored in some location in the cab. The driver will, when loaded, have a bill of lading that describes the contents of the vehicles cargo, but again, in a post accident environment, it may be hard tolocate. If the load is a hazardous materials load, then the truck will be placarded and the hazmat number will clue rescuers to what situation they are facing.

While some trucks have larger fuel tanks than others, they are all built to the same crash standards and mounting rules, so the size of the tanks is only an issue in the size of a fire or a spill. As for air systems, there are systems that contain compressed air on the trucks, but it is all low pressure air, under 120 pounds, and ususlly the air system will be damaged and emptied in a crash. it is not a hazard to firefighters beyond the dangers of any other pressurized system.

As for contacts, most times you will find enough info on the outside of the truck to put you into contact with the employer, and they will have the needed info on the driver. if found, the bill of lading will also have info for tracking down a responsible party for assistance.

Worrying about the cargo is pretty much worthless unless the truck has placards on it. If you approach and see placards, assume the containers inside the trailer are compromised, step back and call a hazmat response team. Yeah, I know it seems pretty heartless to not get the driver out as soon as humanly possible, but he could be carrying a very nasty load which could result in your responders getting injured or possibly killed (such as poisons, chlorine, radioactive material, etc.). I would suggest you teach your responders to get copies of the Emergency Response Handbook. This pocket-sized handbook will tell your responders what the truck is carrying from the number on the placard and how to protect yourself from any hazards involved with it.

I have a set of dog tags I had made that I wear since I don't carry my wallet. It has my name, wife's name, home phone, cdl #.

As a paramedic, which I am, They are correct telling you that there is no specific location. Look for a cell phone and look for recent calls.

As far as the load, hazmat is an issue. These documents are in prescribed locations during transit. However, in an accident they will be relocated.
The load can contain hazmat not requiring placards. If it is leaking, take the safe way out. Hazmat declared.

If there is a sleeper, do look and see if there is another driver on board.

My wallet was always in the overhead compartment.

Hope this helps.

All that applies to cars would also apply to trucks. Important differences would be:
Hazmat- Get the Hazmat books from any truckstop or Kellers.
Look in cab and sleeper for two drivers- common now
Hood,cab, and sleeper are aluminum/fiberglass
Turn key off. I assume you do this anyway?
You should have " standard operating procedures" {SOP} for hazmat and keep a little book in your rescue units to identify hazmat placards like we do.

I keep my BOL in the drivers door in a file. Just as if it were a hazmat load.

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My childhood dream of becoming a truck driver turned into a nightmare!

Thanks to all that have replied. First of all we have to do scene safety, Look for hazards, downed lines fuel spills, leaking load, Placards etc.. We furnish all vehicles with DOT ERGs and Chemtrecs number. I like the Dog tag idea , had not thought of it before. I appreciate the info on the materials that the cab is made of. We are trying to educate everyone on the importance of checking for a sleeper or additional drivers / passengers. Looks like identifying some of the loads and getting phone numbers may be an issue. Paperwork seems like it could go anywhere in a bad accident. Again Thanks! and I am still open to other thoughts..

x Hey GA-FTO!

Your posts have caused me to think.
That can be dangerous.


As a rescue professional who responds to crash scenes, is there ANYthing YOU'D recommend that Big truck drivers do to assist YOU in performing you duties?

These suggestions could go BOTH ways with beneficial results.

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Pontificating Dogmatist

I have thought about this quite a bit. I had never set foot in a Big Rig until I started working on this project. I had responded to drivers , worked with drivers, all of that, but never got inside the truck. I reviewed 200 wrecks so far, One thing I notice is that the cab never ends up the same. That poses the biggest problem. I think that we need an envelope, card, sticker, something that addresses the crew ( How many , who, and any medical conditions) finding a common place to put that is the problem. I thought about the base of the seat but that may not be visable ( maybe both seats?) I did like the dog tags ( maybe not enough info or room for info) Maybe a sticker near the battery box stating "Team" or "Family Rig" or "Pet on Board" ( We look for batteries) But after seeing the new trucks with the Plastic fairings we may not see any stickers on or under them. That is why I NEED all of your thoughts... We all want you home safe!

I think you'd have a major problem trying to get a standardized location for driver info. If a driver has a medical condition then that driver should have some type of ID on him to indicate what type of condition. I would think that would be your primary goal anyway and who he or she is would come later.

Hazmat should be your first concern. Just like the other drivers have said the Hazardous Materials Compliance Pocketbook will tell you what is loaded on the truck. I drove gasoline tankers before I retired and I can tell you that what I wanted the most out of any emergency personel is to be educated on the load. If I was on my side and you saw that I was driving a gasoline tanker I want you to know what to do and not just run away. I know you can not become knowledgeable on all materials but you can become familiar with the classes. The 40 hour hazmat course at your community college would be perfect.


Other than that I would suggest a ride along. You might want to contact some trucking companies and present yourself like you did here. Of course you'd have to pick a company that drives local but you might be surprised on how they will help. I worked for a major oil company and we did this kind of training all the time. I even drove the tanker to the college so the students could see how some hazmat was hauled. Also to find out what materials are used in building the truck you can contact the truck manufacture. You can go to their sites and call the contact numbers and again present yourself.