NHRA's Safety Safari > IRL's safety crew. Fiery video inside (1 Viewer)

[DrRocket]

I'm not gonna knock the emergency workers, as they use the tools given them. It looked to me like the first arrivers were doing their best to get her out of the car, and were fighting the restraint systems in doing so, so maybe that needs to get looked at.

Who I AM gonna knock are the safety officials, both track and IRL for not having foam type fire extiguishers, at least 2, ready to go on EVERY SINGLE SAFETY truck on the track. Doesn't matter if they have a hose system or not. The extiguishers can be used to suppress the flames, protecting both the driver and the extricators, and giving the hose man time to unroll the hose and get it going.

Man, that was hard to watch.

 

[Sean Bellemeur]

I generally don't post about safety worker issues because so many times the whole story is not told and someone is wrongfully blamed, however watching this reminded me why I became a safety worker in the first place.
After high school I became an EMT and began the process of getting my fire fighter degree. I was watching a drag race at home on TV (non nhra or ihra) and saw a very serious fire, in which the saftey crew responded to. The problem wasn't the response time, but the actions of the saftey personnel once on scene. (kindof reminded me of this video). I swore at that time that I would learn from the best, stay focused, informed and try to be the best safety worker I can be. Looking back now, I can say that being a safety worker has made me a better driver and vise-versa.
A couple things come to mind and after reading some of your posts I thought I'd clear some things up as well.
First, on the NHRA trucks and most trucks at dragstrips around the world, the water system is precharged by nitrogen in the tank, therefore the only needed action to initiate a water source is to turn the water valve to the hose. In other forms of motorsports and what appeard to be the case here the tanks are filled with water, then pumps are turns on running off of a generator. The down side of that is exactly what you saw. Time. What if the generator doesn't start? What if there's a problem with the pump? With nitrogen already in the tanks on the drag racing safety rigs, the water source is literally at the hoseperson's fingertips.
Second, none of the safety personnel appeared to be wearing a "funny car" SFI-20 suit like the safety safari does. Therefore none of the safety workers could get close enough to the car because of the heat. I have never been to a training seminar for this type of racing so I may be speaking out of turn, but it is my personal belief that drag racing's sanctioning bodies focus on fire prevention, fire behavior and response to incidents involving fire is a higher priority. Everything from the equipment the drivers have to wear, to the advancements we've had to put in our race cars to keep the fires to a minimum have helped. I don't know if the FIRE portion of safety has been as big of a focus to the other forms of motorsports. Understandably, the drivers have to wear the suits for far longer, and the threat of fire itself is not as common, but at least have the safety crew be ready for when it does happen.
Those are just my few cents on the deal. I tried to be PC enough with it all to not get people wound up about it because there are always reasons for why things are done. I think any safety worker you talk to will agree with that. You just have to hope the crew has the right equipment, that it works, and that the safety workers have the common sense to execute his or her job correctly.

After all that, just want to say GOD BLESS OUR SAFETY SAFARI! see ya in Fallon!

SB

 

[vegasnitro]

Here is a video from the Lamborghini Super Trofeo race at Brno, Czech Republic. Makes the IRL guys look like all-stars.

YouTube - Horrible crash Brno || Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4 BURNS ||

 

[Tim5636sc]

Outstanding Post Sean.... Good Luck in Fallon!

 

[JF]

As a former Nationaly Registered Paramedic for DCFD and part of the executive protection detail for 3 Past United States Presidents And a S/C Driver. That video is terrible. HOWEVER where we need to look at safety is the small tracks that run large shows that hire (Low Bid) or give free passes to the local first responders. To man the tracks inadaquate equipment on race day that are sitting asleep or lounging under the umbrella as the race is going on and then if something happens. They manage to respond as if you bothered them. Or they are cruiseing the pits gawking at racecars when racing is going on.
BELIEVE ME I look. Most do not have any training as to what can explode (Nitrous) Location of Fuel tanks of Dragsters (behind Seat or Nose) What bars to cut or not cut (Fuel lines or battery Cables) How a seat belt works. As a paramedic I had to transport anyone over 40MPH is a car crash for "Mechanism of Trauma" Yet they allow someone who crashes at 100+MPH to walk away (Although you do have the right to refuse)
PLEASE NHRA & IHRA Set some standards that have to be met at ALL tracks.

It great to have the Safety Safari at a national or divisional event. But then next week we race the same track at the same speed and have "Joe the ambulance driver" and two kids that wanted to get in free as the safety team.

 

[Speed1288]

As a former Nationaly Registered Paramedic for DCFD and part of the executive protection detail for 3 Past United States Presidents And a S/C Driver. That video is terrible. HOWEVER where we need to look at safety is the small tracks that run large shows that hire (Low Bid) or give free passes to the local first responders. To man the tracks inadaquate equipment on race day that are sitting asleep or lounging under the umbrella as the race is going on and then if something happens. They manage to respond as if you bothered them. Or they are cruiseing the pits gawking at racecars when racing is going on.
BELIEVE ME I look. Most do not have any training as to what can explode (Nitrous) Location of Fuel tanks of Dragsters (behind Seat or Nose) What bars to cut or not cut (Fuel lines or battery Cables) How a seat belt works. As a paramedic I had to transport anyone over 40MPH is a car crash for "Mechanism of Trauma" Yet they allow someone who crashes at 100+MPH to walk away (Although you do have the right to refuse)
PLEASE NHRA & IHRA Set some standards that have to be met at ALL tracks.

It great to have the Safety Safari at a national or divisional event. But then next week we race the same track at the same speed and have "Joe the ambulance driver" and two kids that wanted to get in free as the safety team.

I couldn't agree more. When my dad or I race at the divisional or open races I feel so much safer than when he or I are running at a local track on the weekend. At the divisional races there is a full crew dressed in fire suits and a fire trucks and ambulance ready to go at a moments notice. At a saturday bracket race there is a fire extinguisher and an ambulance usually accompanied by someone sitting and reading a magazine. What you're saying is spot on.