Improving Trauma Care Worldwide

ITLS Access

ITLS Access teaches skills that are critical for EMS crews and first responders at the scene of a motor vehicle collision. In hands-on modules, you will learn how to reach, stabilize, and extricate trapped victims, with a special focus on patient care during extrication.

The 8-hour course trains you in how to use hand tools and items found on the scene or carried on an ambulance or first responder unit, instead of hydraulics. In addition to techniques for traditional vehicles, we have expanded the scope to include hybrid vehicles, trucks, buses, and small aircraft.

Course Content

The course manual is the 3rd edition Access: First On Scene – Rapid Vehicle Entry text.  Buy online now

Course length: 8 hours

Didactic and Skills:
The Tools to Do the Job
Size-Up
Call for Help and Set-Up
Vehicle Stabilization
Accessing
Stabilizing the Victim
Disentanglement
Packaging and Transfer

ITLS Access courses use actual wrecked cars for students to practice skills for stabilization and extrication hands-on. A majority of the course content is focused on practical skills.

Among the procedures taught are:

  • Disarming the supplemental restraint system
  • Stabilizing a vehicle on its wheels, on its roof, on its side, and temporarily with improvised materials
  • Opening a door from a hinge or bolt mechanism
  • Removing a roof from back to front
  • Dropping a roof from a vehicle on its side
  • Removing the floor assembly from a vehicle
  • Moving the steering column/wheel
  • Moving the dash/front end
  • Dropping the sides of a wrecked vehicle
  • Lifting a vehicle off a patient trapped underneath
  • Packaging the patient for removal, using a long spine board and straps or rope sling
  • And more!