Have You Ever Had To Use Your Knife In An Emergency Situation..?

Many years ago, about 1998, I had a guy shot in the head and he crashed into a telephone pole. I broke the window out and cut the seatbelt prior to the paramedics arriving. It saved me from having to reach across him and get his brains all over my uniform. Awww, Las Vegas Metro on graveyard shift. Gotta love it.
 
Used a Spyderco Endura fully serrated to "cut down" a sapling to rescue an injured cat from a culvert. I can't recall anything else at the time, although I love knives and and have been a cop for about 27 years...

Everyone always cites "cutting seatbelts" (I just release them :rolleyes: ) and "cutting down suicide hanging victims" (although I've had a few I don't recall ever cutting one down in 27 years and about 5 of that time was in Investigations...) as the need for LEOs to carry a knife, but I've cut Crime Scene Tape a bunch (hard to tear) but never a seat belt or hanging victim. YMMV...
 
In 23 years as a volunteer FF/EMT, on most collision calls, the seat belt release worked just fine. I've only had to use a knife to cut jammed seat belts 3 times. One other time, I never tried the seat belt release. The engine was on fire and we didn't waste time looking for the release button on the far side of the 400#+ driver. It was just slice and pull.

I have used knives on too many occasions to cut dog leashes, horse leads, etc for animals tangled in brush/fences.

I used a "brick knife" (aka cold chisel) to free a dachshund from a brick fence. He chased a squirrel through a hole in the fence. The squirrel fit. The dachshund fit only half way. Couldn't go forward or backward.

Most of the time, for general FF/EMT cutting, the trauma shears worked just fine. BUT, there were always situations arising where a good old plain knife was both faster and easier to use.
 
I had to use the saw on my multi tool in order to rescue an injured skier that was stuck in the branches of a tree
I used my knife to cut many cardboard splints
I cut many seat belts off in auto extracation. ECB1
 
Everyone always cites "cutting seat-belts" (I just release them )
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It may be different if your an LEO but as far as extraction goes I cut seat-belts a lot. Its not because they are jammed on the patient. If you are on a good pin in and have to take the roof, and there are many other situations the seat-belt needs to go or your not getting said piece off of the vehicle.
 
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Used my BK3 to pry my bumper off my tire after a wreck. Not quite a bra cutting for an AED, but it worked great anyway. BTW, going to try that move with the Mrs. tonight. " But honey, I think you need CPR! Here, let me breathe for you and try deep compressions!"
 
I was at a stoplight once and a dog in the bed of a pickup in front of me fell/jumped out. He was hanging above the ground by a nylon leash and the driver just started to pull away as I jumped out and cut the rope with my Para2. I was glad that it took just one quick slash because any longer and the guy would have just drove off dragging that dog. The guy drove about 100yards before noticing all the people getting out of their cars to come check on the dog with me.
 
brand0n said:
As much as I've wanted to use my knife, I always end up using my trauma shears.
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When I worked as an EMT, I only ever used my shears. They were always quick access (right cargo pocket w/ retention strap) and much less scary than coming at a patient with a pointy blade in a stressful situation. I always had a proper knife with me but I thankfully only had to use it during my down time.
 
Saved my Golden Retriever's life with my knife.
He was tangled in the kids soccer net and just did his final flop in the net when I saw him. Raced over and cut him loose. He was right there on not making it. One of the scariest days I have had.

I have also never NOT had a knife on me (but when on a biz trip I had to fly to)

He is here everyday because of my knife.

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HWF said:
When I worked as an EMT, I only ever used my shears. They were always quick access (right cargo pocket w/ retention strap) and much less scary than coming at a patient with a pointy blade in a stressful situation. I always had a proper knife with me but I thankfully only had to use it during my down time.
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To each their own but before I got my triage I carried a benchmade 7 hook instead of shears It just works better IMO. Also I wouldn't put a spear pointed knife toward a Pt I think any knife that is going to be used around someone should be sheapsfoot.
 
I was working ground crew for a C-45 taking up skydivers. One jumper landed wrong and got compound fracture. No one at DZ had any kind of cutting implement so I ran over and used Sebenza to cut jumpsuit leg to access wound and cut strips to make a tourniquet to slow bleeding 15 minutes until ambulance came.
 
Nic S. said:
To each their own but before I got my triage I carried a benchmade 7 hook instead of shears It just works better IMO. Also I wouldn't put a spear pointed knife toward a Pt I think any knife that is going to be used around someone should be sheapsfoot.
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I've heard nothing but good things about the triage. My BM hook knife is always hooked to my skydiving rig and I never remembered to take it with.


GronK said:
I was working ground crew for a C-45 taking up skydivers. One jumper landed wrong and got compound fracture. No one at DZ had any kind of cutting implement so I ran over and used Sebenza to cut jumpsuit leg to access wound and cut strips to make a tourniquet to slow bleeding 15 minutes until ambulance came.
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Ouch. And that's no good nobody at least had a hook knife at that dz, strange actually. Hope the jumper healed up. I've seen a lot of accidents skydiving. No bueno.
 
I don't have any constructive input to put into this thread. Just posting to say it was fun to read. Keep up the good work everyone!

The world needs more people like the people on this wonderful forum!
 
HWF said:
Ouch. And that's no good nobody at least had a hook knife at that dz, strange actually. Hope the jumper healed up. I've seen a lot of accidents skydiving. No bueno.
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I was surprised myself. I figured a blade for shroud lines should be standard equipage at a DZ and on every jumper's equipment. The flight line at the small airport we were at was about 1/2 mile from the DZ. Someone came driving up in a golf cart saying there was an accident and they needed a knife. I wasn't about to let someone run off with my Sebbie so off we went.
 
I agree about the sheepfoot blade. I now carry a Spyderco Assist in my pocket. I have a TON of knives. I always carry a true "rescue" knife at work. I have carried the Triage, the Assist, and a Spyderco Rescue, and a Protec auto with a sheepfoot and serrated. I also ride and show horses, so for me the sheepfoot really works.

I'm sure I could have unbuckled this guy in the car, but I didn't want to wear what was on his mind!! I chose to cut instead. My EDC knife at work just stays clipped in my uniform pants. I have my other knives for when I'm not working.
 
What a morbid sense of humor you cops have! :D I think we'd go crazy if we didn't make light of all the stuff we see. God bless and thanks for what you do.
 
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