Have you been on the call for a kid stuck in a bucket swing at the local park?  If you haven’t, it might happen any day now.  Don’t say it can’t because we all have parks and home playgrounds that could give us this scenario.  The pic to the left is one that was cut off last year with a reciprocating saw.  CLICK HERE for a previous post.

Check with your local park’s and recreation department to see if they have an old bucket swing that you can have for training.  That’s where the one in the videos below came from.

“LIKE” FIRST DUE TACKLE ON FACEBOOK

Step one seems obvious, but be sure to hold the child up and cut the chains.  By putting the child on the ground you eliminate the swinging.  Before cutting, you need to protect the victim.  Here are a few ideas of things to slide between the victim and the swing: c-collar, iv board, wood splint, spatula.

The videos below are a good demonstration of different options.  They might not always be your first option or an option at all depending on the situation and how the child is stuck.  Some have suggested using a wire PVC cutter, but we didn’t get a video of that in use.  The first video shows a bucket swing extrication performed by members of the FDNY.  Andrew Brassard passed this one along the other day.  If you haven’t had a chance, be sure to get into one of the man-in-machine classes taught by Brotherhood Instructors.

Reciprocating Saw

Hydraulic Brake Pedal Cutter

Circular Saw

Pass it on!