Originally Posted by
palanon
The EMT's have the slide in type inflation device. Made by the same company I believe. If the film isn't sped up, they used the CO2 cartridge instead of the hand bulb. My biggest problem with the slide in version is obstructions like hair, dew rags, etc. making placement difficult. With the pre-installed unit properly placed in the helmet, this helps mitigate the problem.
For the record, the neck is always immobilized before any type of helmet removal. If you've ever been at a crash scene, you probably noticed two people performing helmet removal. One next to the rider supporting the neck and back of the head. The second at the riders head to spread and remove the helmet. Because of the tight fit, you get some moving and rocking during manual removal as you can see in the video. The inflation device helps to reduce this. Believe it or not, EMT's and firemen are better at this than ER's. They practice and perform helmet removal much more frequently. Further, Speedway Safety Services ( Golden Cross ) specializes in motor racing and has even more experience and training caring for crash victims than your standard EMT or First Response Fireman.
I don't have a dog in this hunt. With that said, I'm probably going to get one for street riding. I'd rather be the 2nd guy if I land on my noggin. Once again, this is strictly my opinion after doing my own research and talking with EMT's and people I trust.