During 1990, the Fire Experimental Unit undertook a survey of equipment and methods available to the fire service for use in road traffic accident rescue work. The main part of the work was an appraisal of the various powered hydraulically operated rescue tools available, intended to assist the brigades when deciding what equipment, or types of equipment to carry. This is a summary report of this study, the work has been fully reported in FRDG Publication 7/91.