VEHICLE UNDER ATTACK

• NCJ Number: 26663
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 0 pages
• Corporate Author: MTI; William Brose Productions
• Sale Source: Not Available Through National Institute of Justice/NCJRS Document Loan Program
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS. 17 MINUTES, 16MM COLOR, 1975 RENTAL AVAILABLE

Annotation

THIS FILM DEALS WITH PRECAUTIONS AND EMERGENCY PROCEDURES TO BE TAKEN IN THE EVENT OF AN AMBUSH OF A PATROL CAR WITH MOLOTOV COCKTAILS.

Abstract

UPON ARRIVING AT THE SCENE OF A 'ROUTINE' DOMESTIC DISTURBANCE, TWO POLICE OFFICERS SUDDENLY FIND THEIR PATROL CAR BLOCKED IN AND THEN SET ABLAZE BY A MOLOTOV COCKTAIL. THEY MANAGE TO ESCAPE FROM THE BURNING VEHICLE UNHARMED - THIS TIME. RETROSPECTIVELY THIS TRAINING FILM DISCUSSES SOME OF THE PRECAUTIONS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO MINIMIZE THE DANGER OF ATTACK AND INJURY. THE LOCATION OF THE CALL WAS A PARTIALLY ABANDONED HOUSING PROJECT. IF THAT OR ANY OTHER FACT GAVE THE OFFICERS CAUSE FOR SUSPICION, THEN THEY SHOULD HAVE DONNED THEIR HELMETS, RELEASED THEIR SEAT BELTS AND SHOULDER HARNESSES, UNLOCKED THEIR DOORS AND ROLLED UP THEIR WINDOWS. THE FILM STRESSES THE IMPORTANCE OF DRIVING AWAY FROM THE ATTACK WHEN POSSIBLE (AND IT OFTEN IS). THE FLAMES WILL NOT LAST LONG. TO DEMONSTRATE THIS, THE PRODUCERS TRIED TO BURN SEVERAL CARS WITH MOLOTOV COCKTAILS AND DISCOVERED THAT THE FLAMES RARELY LASTED LONGER THAN 10 TO 20 SECONDS. THEY PUT A 15 FOOT WICK INTO THE HALF-FILLED GAS TANK OF ONE OF THE BURNING CARS, BUT THE TANK DID NOT BLOW UP ALTHOUGH THERE WAS BURNING GASOLINE ON THE GROUND BELOW IT. IT WAS REVEALED THAT THE TEMPERATURE INSIDE THE SEALED, BURNING CAR DIDN'T GET ABOVE 145 DEGREES F. - UNCOMFORTABLE BUT SURVIVABLE EVEN THOUGH THE CAR DID FILL UP WITH DARK SMOKE VERY QUICKLY. DESPITE THIS FACT, OFFICERS ARE CAUTIONED AGAINST STAYING IN THE CAR TOO LONG BECAUSE ONE OF THE DEADLY SIDE EFFECTS OF A BURNING VEHICLE IS THAT WHEN HEATED, THE VINYL SEAT COVERINGS RELEASE HIGHLY TOXIC HYDROGEN CHLORIDE GAS INTO THE AIR. THE FILM EMPHASIZES THAT ALTHOUGH THE DOOR GLASS IN THE DEMONSTRATOR CARS DID NOT BREAK DESPITE SEVERAL DIRECT HITS, IT WOULD BE FOOLHARDY TO ABANDON ANY PRECAUTIONS FOR THIS REASON. THE PRODUCERS CAUTION THAT BECAUSE OF THE SENSITIVE NATURE OF THE FILM ITS VIEWING SHOULD BE RESTRICTED TO OFFICIAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. (SNI ABSTRACT)