On loan from New Zealand Fire Service Search and Rescue
Jaws of Life
These hydraulic spreaders, often referred to as the “Jaws of Life”, were used to rescue trapped people after the February 2011 earthquake.
The tips of the spreader’s blades are engaged by wedging them into a seam of gap – for example, around a vehicle door. A hydraulic pump, attached to the tool or as a separate unit, powers a piston that pushes the blades apart with great force and spreads the seam.
The now open blades can then be repositioned around the metal. The spreader is then engaged in reverse and the blades close, cutting through the metal.
Hydraulic spreaders are often used at the scene of car accidents.