Lluís Mendo: "We can cut your car like paper"

Lluís Mendo is a firefighter, but he doesn't put out fires; he responds to traffic accidents. In fact, one in every five emergency services this force provides is specifically to assist people trapped in a vehicle due to an accident.

What's the most difficult part of your job?

— Disregard the emotional aspect. You need to maintain empathy to treat the injured well, but don't forget that over-empathizing can make you lose your technical skills.

What is technically difficult?

— The first thing we need to determine is the person's condition. They may have injuries that make it impossible to move, the vehicle may be in a difficult position—for example, about to fall off a cliff—or they may be physically trapped.

That is to say…

— The vehicle chassis on the person.

So what do you do?

— We have very powerful tools that allow us to cut your car like paper.

But the person is just around the corner. Isn't that dangerous?

— We have protection systems. We put up a plastic bubble to keep glass or anything else from falling on the person. Or a hard protection that's like a shield.

What toilet?

— A healthcare professional always comes in to check on the person and can also explain the upcoming stages: now you'll hear a noise, now this will happen...

But if the person is trapped, how do they get in?

— We have mechanisms to make this possible, with dividers that allow the roof to be raised so that the person can enter.

Is there much difference between an expensive car and a cheaper one?

— Safety is associated with modernity, but the key is speed; it can make an accident more serious and rescue more difficult. Together, we must ease the anxiety and stress levels we bring into contemporary life.

What happens in an accident if there is fire?

— It's not common, although we see it in many American movies. But in any case, if there's a risk, firefighters set up a water line or extinguish it. And if there's a fire or a very serious problem, it's removed quickly. The problem in these cases is that you can remove it in a way that poses a risk to your back.

What should I do if I fall into a watery area?

— The ideal is to get out quickly. But if the vehicle is already filling with water and the external pressure prevents you from opening the doors, what you need to do is wait for the internal and external pressures to equalize until you can do so. This requires remaining calm, which I know is asking a lot, but it's what the theory says.

The toughest place you've done a rescue?

— Train accidents. They are large, tough, and technically very demanding elements.

An accident you remember.

— Years ago, near Granollers, a car carrying four people fell off a bridge into the Congost River. It ended up half overturned; it was nighttime, raining, and the river was flooded... I remember it because it was difficult, but all four people made it out alive.

The worst cases?

— Accidents involving minors. We carry stuffed animals on the truck to give away. Not only to try to make it less of a traumatic experience, but because it's in everyone's interest to ensure the injured are hemodynamically stable and their heart rate is low.

What do you like about this job?

— To arrive at a chaotic situation where everything is wrong, and take control of the situation. To be able to solve what at first may seem unsolvable.

Do you get used to it?

— It's our daily routine, just as an oncologist must learn to live with cancer. It's the only way we can be effective when you're on the road to the next accident.