New auto safety tool hits market
By: Jack Nerad for Driving Today
Date: 2004-04-10
Necessity is the mother of invention. And the mother of all knives designed for in-vehicle use is the Smith & Wesson 911 First Response Knife. Already being tested by many law enforcement and fire safety professionals nationwide, the knife has been credited for saving the lives of crash victims across the country, according to Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation.
Taylor Cutlery, which licensed the Smith & Wesson name, designed the new knife as a lifesaving tool for auto owners, law enforcement, and rescue personnel. After consulting with custom knife designer and co-founder of the Knifemakers Guild of America, Walter "Blackie" Collins, the company designed a multi-purpose knife that was easily portable, multi-functional and durable under water so law enforcement and safety personnel would not have to carry three separate tools when driving--a knife, window punch, and seatbelt cutter--to extricate collision victims from their cars or trucks.
The new knife has a piston mechanism that allows the user to break and force away an automobile window safely in the event the electrical system fails. (Or you could open the door.) The knife also has a custom-manufactured serrated blade that can be used to cut through seatbelts should the seatbelt system malfunction and trap a passenger in a car seat.
Sergeant Earl Henley, a shift rescue field training officer from Johnson City, Tennessee, used the Smith & Wesson 911 First Response Knife to save the lives of more than six collision victims since he began field testing it in July 2002.
"In a recent accident, we used the [knife] to break through a minivan's window, cut through the seatbelt and successfully extricate the accident victim all within the 'Golden Hour'--the hour between when an accident occurs and when the victim is treated at the hospital," said Henley. "The patient survived and is walking around today due in large part to the fact we were able to get him out of the vehicle quickly and efficiently."
The knife retails for $62.95 and is available for purchase at the Smith & Wesson Web site www.smith-wesson.com. It is also available at Big 5 Sporting Goods, Gallians Sporting Goods, Tractor Supply, and MSC Industrial Supply stores. Next in the Taylor Cutlery line might be the Slow Response 411 Electronic Escalator Prod, designed to help civilians and rescue teams deal with the pesky problem of people trapped on stalled escalators.
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