PENTHEON STORIEs:
HOW PENTHEON REVOLUTIONIZES RESCUE OPERATIONS ON BRAZIL’S MOST IMPORTANT HIGHWAY

WHAT
Traffic accidents
involving trucks

WHERE
Multiple highways
in Brazil

WHO
Companhia de Concessões Rodoviárias (CCR)
Told by Juliano Souza

THE SCENE
COMPLEXITY ON MULTIPLE LEVELS

CCR operates in the infrastructure sector, particularly in the development and management of transportation infrastructure. The company is known for its involvement in the concession of highways, airports, and urban mobility projects. Juliano has been with the company for 22 years, climbing the ladder from working in the field as a first responder to securing a higher level management position in 2022 while still being called to incidents every once in a while. 

Juliano works for CCR’s highway concession division, which includes maintenance and rescue work for some 15.000 kilometers (9.300 miles) of highway. Pentheon is already in use on many highways under CCR’s concession, but for this story we will focus on the famous and important Via Dutra. This highway connects São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro and is used by 50% of all trucks in Brazil. So truck accidents on this highway are very common. Fire departments, part of the Brazil military, work together with specialized rescue teams from CCR when these accidents occur.

It is the Via Dutra that serves as the context for this story: “When dealing with an accident here, you have to take into account three major factors,” explains Juliano. “First and foremost we must extricate an entrapped person as soon as we can. Second, we need to free up the road. The longer the traffic jam takes, the more time people waiting behind the accident waste and the more money this will cost. Third, and this connects with the previous factor, is the fact that in some parts of Brazil a traffic jam attracts burglars who are set on robbing the people in it. So we need to be able to work as fast as possible no matter what. For everyone’s safety.”

The truck accidents Juliano is talking about are highly complex, involving a lot of damage to the vehicles involved. “One of the most important things when extricating an entrapped person is keeping the spine in the most stable position,” continues Juliano, “so as to avoid additional, severe injuries. Considering the sheer weight of a truck, up to 100 tons, you can imagine the state the victim is in. In these scenarios, we are able to keep the victim in the most ideal position for extraction thanks to Pentheon. And do much, much more.”

THE RESCUE OPERATION
SPEED, PRECISION AND SUPERB ERGONOMICS

“Besides precision, we also need speed,” says Juliano. “Every second counts! With the Pentheon Series tools, we are able to get an entrapped victim out of a truck fifteen to twenty minutes faster than before. This ensures that they can get the medical attention they need much sooner, which increases chances of survival.” And the tools completely revolutionized the way Juliano and his team work as well, he adds. "Pentheon allows us to fully remove the front of a truck, which simply isn’t possible with other tools in such a short amount of time. We use the full Pentheon line-up. The Ram with extension for example, enables us to generate enough space, while the phenomenal ergonomics of the Cutter allow us to perform techniques we cannot perform with other tools. The 360° carrying handle, the inline control handle and the inclined cutting blade are paramount in every rescue scenario.”

Instead of removing a victim at a 90° angle, Juliano explains that thanks to Pentheon – and lots of training – they can do an extraction at a 10° or even 0° angle. “It’s fair to say that Holmatro changed the game with Pentheon. Not only for the victims, but also for the safety of the people working with the tools.”

THE POWER OF PENTHEON
ALWAYS PUSHING FORWARD

Since Juliano is not only a first responder but also a manager, the power of Pentheon works on many different levels: “CCR cares about ESG, which stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance. Pentheon perfectly aligns with our vision on sustainability and corporate responsibility. The fact that the tools are battery-operated really makes a difference. Another great feature is the significantly lower tool sound. Better for the victim and the environment!” 

In his 23 years on the job, Juliano has always believed in the interplay between knowledge, people and equipment. As a manager, he’s now able to share knowledge, care for his employees and select the best equipment possible: “The Pentheon Series is an integral part of our strategy to stay on top of innovations that can make our rescue operations more successful.”