ALTERNATIVE CHOCK
BY JOHN CONNIFF
For many years our company used step chocks for vehicle stabilization during extrication operations at motor vehicle accidents. For those who are not familiar with how step chocks are used, the stems of all four tires usually are pulled from the wheels to lower the body and/or frame onto the chocks to effect vehicle stabilization.
While this procedure stabilizes the vehicle, the end result is a vehicle with four flat tires resting on your chocks. We found that many times, due to accident investigations and so forth, our out-of-service time was drawn out while we waited to retrieve our blocks.
We came up with an alternative chock that works well and is inexpensive to build. The design of the chock provides a means of stabilization in spaces from 312 to 14 inches and maintains a ground contact of 612 inches in width.
Although this chock works well in a large percentage of situations, because it is completely constructed of two- by four-inch wood, it is not designed for use in operations such as air bag lifts, where the use of “box” cribbing would be mandated.
We have found these chocks to be easily deployed, effective, and immediately retrievable. n
The late JOHN CONNIFF was a 22-year veteran of the Scranton (PA) Fire Department. He was a lieutenant assigned to Rescue Company 1, certified in EMS and vehicle rescue, and an instructor for the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy.
