Airbag Storage Safety Measures
Thanks to Stephanie Kertes, Property/ Evidence Manager,
Mishawaka, IN Police Department for this tip!
In regards to the storage of vehicle airbags. Understandably, not everyone will have one of these turned in as evidence, but for those that do, I would like to offer some storage info:
Our Bureau Bomb Squad provided a demonstration for our Evidence Division to exhibit how violent air bags can be. After all, they do deploy with a small explosive charge. One airbag was discharged with the bag facing the ground, the other with the bag facing up. The first airbag (bag facing the ground) was propelled nearly 20 feet into the air, while the second one (bag facing up) only came 4 to 5 feet off the ground. This demonstrated that an airbag stored with the bag facing down would pose a greater hazard in the case of an accidental discharge. Vehicle airbags should be stored out of extreme temperatures, with the airbag facing up and on a non-metal surface. They should always be in an area with clear markings as to their hazardous nature. Hopefully this information can be used to make some property rooms a little bit safer.