Cutting wheel

[550Doug]

A car goes out of control, leaves the road and hits a tree. The young lady driver is unconscious in the drivers seat, engine not running and doors are locked. This happened recently and thankfully help was nearby. She was rescued after smashing a car window to unlock the doors.
This got me thinking whether a cutting wheel on a grinder could cut through the window glass, and if a special wheel is needed. How do fire & rescue people handle this?

 

[rustred]

i know how the wanna be cops in Ottawa did that to many vehicles. fire and rescue are trained for that. dont know the exact procedure.

 

[showcrop]

We reach into our pocket and pull out our spring loaded punch, press it into the corner of any side window, reach in and open the door. Ask any firefighter.

 

[leroy in ne]

Many First Responders have available a special glass breaking tool. This is called an automatic center punch in machine shops. Spring loaded center punch, put point
against corner of side window, activate and glass shatters into gravel like particles. What didn't fall out can be easily raked out of the way.

 

[Janicholson]

The act of grinding or even scratching a side window or rear window causes the same near instantaneous shattering into gravel that hitting it
does. So hitting is preferred because it is quicker. I got a window breaking hammer with hard point for a gift. it is in a clip on my Jeep
dash. Jim

 

[stevieb49829]

I've heard a handful of smashed spark plug porcelain thrown at the window will do the same thing as the spring punch. Anyone done this yet?

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

The side windows are tempered glass. Any sharp blow from a sharp object stands a good chance of shattering the window into "redneck diamonds."

Shattering the glass takes a fraction of a second. Cutting the glass out, if it were even possible, would take minutes. When a person's life is at stake, it does not make sense to try to cut the glass out.

 

[Janicholson]

Carrying around a pocket full of smashed plug insulators seems a bit unlikely. Jim

 

[Janicholson]

Tempered glass doesn't get any better than this explanation. Jim
Why

 

[marloweg]

everyone in our Fire Dept has a window punch and seat belt cutter in on tool with just a lite tap the window will shatter all side and rear windows front windshield we cut out with a Sawzall

 

[Mike M]

I used to work with a fellow who told me about that too. He lived near a junk yard and tried that out many times as a kid and it will work but has to hit just right.

 

[showcrop]

(quoted from post at 11:16:53 03/11/22) The act of grinding or even scratching a side window or rear window causes the same near instantaneous shattering into gravel that hitting it
does. So hitting is preferred because it is quicker. I got a window breaking hammer with hard point for a gift. it is in a clip on my Jeep
dash. Jim

Janicholson, It depends on what you hit it with. There are videos on You tube of cops trying to break a car window using their baton. It won't work. It needs to be sharp.

 

[Stroby]

Yup, side windows shatter. A hay hook does a great job of carving any shape you prefer in a windshield.....just don't drive that hook in the area where the face of someone who is alert is because that
causes other issues.

 

[504]

There are hundreds of pocket knives that have a glass breaker and a seatbelt cutter built in,there are marketed to first responders.

 

[RedGreenGuy]

In my EMS training we (time permitting) taught to completely cover window with duck tape leaving a very
small area without tape at a lower corner. Also added a piece of duck tape across middle and made a large
loop and squeezed it together to create a handle. Use spring loaded punch at open corner while holding tape
handle. Window will break but not shower inside. lift entire window out with tape handle. No glass cuttin
g patient or small chunks in their or your eyes. It works quite well and much more sane than blasting glass
all over vehicle interior.

 

[showcrop]

(quoted from post at 18:07:13 03/11/22) In my EMS training we (time permitting) taught to completely cover window with duck tape leaving a very
small area without tape at a lower corner. Also added a piece of duck tape across middle and made a large
loop and squeezed it together to create a handle. Use spring loaded punch at open corner while holding tape
handle. Window will break but not shower inside. lift entire window out with tape handle. No glass cuttin
g patient or small chunks in their or your eyes. It works quite well and much more sane than blasting glass
all over vehicle interior.

One of the biggest advantages to the spring punch as opposed to something else that may be pointed but requires a strong blow, is that when broken with the spring punch the glass just falls straight down.

 

[GordoSD]

I've taken a couple of Tahoe side windows out with My Cub Cadet mwer. Now when the mower comes
out the vehicles go in.