MJSpeed

We don't have to try anything. They're supposed to be the professionals with training and preparation.

+1 I completely agree with you.

mrbill_fl

is a dangerous sport... know the risks...

The 1st responder arrived on seen way before it would at any club race or DE event. (8 seconds after race car stopped). one went for the driver, the other 2 were on the fire.

I'm looking at the video, and don't see anything I would have done differently, except pray her feet didn't get hung up. (it does look like he spent quite a bit of time trying to get that containment collar off) which looks like that might have caught the driver.

Where did the 1 rescue worker fail?
What should have happend differently? (other than the fire equipment work)
We would all hope for better & faster, but I'm not sure where the 1 rescue worker failed in their actions.

I expect those guys are VERY familiar with that car... unlike our emt or corner workers where theres a real mixed bag of cars running, and safety equipment...

Streak

The one guy who actually did get his extinguisher to work wasn't even on the side of the car where the fire was. It looks like his efforts were useless as he wasn't actually hitting the fire.

At least the guys at the Lambo fire were soaking the driver to keep him from burning for the correct side of the car.

mrbill_fl

^ looked like the bottle was weak, (water?) but it was on the legs of the driver... I don't have an issue with that part.

what helped was the 2nd trucks (dry chem?) bottle, then he goes to the outside and hits the base, and it looks like the #2 trucks hose fills up, starts working and the hose man also goes to the back side, on the fire...

Also, it looks like from the time the 2nd truck bottle started (108 sec) till the flames were no longer visable (117sec) (still lots of smoke), was 9 seconds. that hose failing (truck #1) is the big problem IMHO.

break it down...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIatX...layer_embedded

Circuit Motorsports

Just so some of the myths go to rest regarding suit time.

An SFI 3.2/5 suit is good for at least 10 seconds and under 19 and underwear (required by IRL) is good for another 3ish. Sure it's not 53 seconds but still different than the numbers being incorrectly stated in this thread.

MJSpeed

Still took approximately 30 seconds more than the suits could last! And that in a fire is an eternity!

MJSpeed

At 58 secs one of the guys nonchalantly makes a bullsh!t attempt at getting back to the truck to fix the hose...wtf? Hustle man!

chris walrod

IndyCar looks into malfunctioning hose that complicated firefighting efforts
By The Associated Press (CP) – 1 day ago

INDIANAPOLIS — The IndyCar Series has acknowledged a malfunctioning hose complicated efforts by Texas Motor Speedway's safety workers to extinguish the fire on Simona de Silvestro's car Saturday night.

De Silvestro was eventually pulled out of the car by the workers. The IndyCar rookie burned her right hand.

On Monday, league officials issued a statement saying workers were forced to use backup bottles to put out the fire and that it would look into why the equipment did not work. All equipment, the statement says, is checked before each race.

At least 14 of 24 safety members are required to attend IndyCar races. At least two trauma doctors, three paramedics and nine firefighters or EMTs must be work race day.

mrbill_fl

She is lucky no doubt about it.

but I don't think the indy car designers are looking for fast exits when they design these cars... (unlike grand am or AMLS -where plenty of cars don't have halo seats for driver changes.). I think indy is focused on impacts, and keeping the body in the car.

when I look at the end of the race, driver exit, normally they pull that top 'valance' that is part of the driver containment. for some reason it didn't come out.

I still don't find a huge fault on the safety crew, for this incident.
(the 1st guy with the water bottle should have pulled the pin when walking over - that's a screwup -no excuse for being rattled.)

I say this is fire equipment failure and a car design problem.

but I do wonder who the guy in blue is vs the orange suit guys.... anyone know? maybe Doctors/EMT's wear blue?

edit: thanks Chris.

WHB Porsche

I think I found the thing I would have done differently... known how to get the collar off!

Deanriffs

Every time that I watch an IRL broadcast, all I think about is how poorly the sport compares to F1. This is just further evidence (and sad).

Glad that she escaped with only a minor hand burn.

chris walrod

As a follow up --

Bryan Watts

Wow, that visor was pretty close to not providing any protection any longer.

Flying Finn

I have no doubt they absolutely must've designed the cockpit so that the driver can exit it very fast. If they haven't IRL is even worse than I already think it is. In F1 that valance comes off (when driver wants so) VERY easily.

Granted, Formula 1 is way ahead of IRL in everything but I don't think exit from IRL car can be much different from exiting F1 cockpit (which also has the removable valance). As I already said, it if is...

I haven't read anything regarding this particular incident though why she didn't get out of the cockpit on her own?

Below is part from FIA safety regulations that deals with cockpit design:

13.1.4 From his normal seating position, with all seat belts fastened and whilst wearing his usual driving equipment, the driver must be able to remove the steering wheel and get out of the car within 5 seconds and then replace the steering wheel in a total of 10 seconds.

I've seen Kovalainen doing the test for this and man he jumped out of that thing quick! IIRC, he did it just a hair over 4 seconds.

Streak

The chick is tough. Props for her post fire comments and attitude.