The pyrotechnic shears designed to meet the need of fire departments and rescue teams for modern, low-cost emergency cutting equipment capable to break metal constructions in time-critical situations, such as traffic and aircraft accidents, fire rescue and special operations. The shears are also very capable demolition tool for dismantling of old equipment, buildings and cables.

Small weight and portability enables salvage operations in virtually inaccessible restricted places such as a fire escape where fireman need to clear an egress route among the steel debris. Its compactness also makes pyrotechnic shears ideal tool for heliborn and airborn rescue brigades.

The hydraulic cutting rescue equipment commonly referred to as a Hurst (tm) tool or Jaws of Life is most often used in the extrication of victims trapped in the wreckage of cars. They employ gasoline engine powered pumps, gallons of hydraulic liquid and meters of hoses. The pyrotechnic shears is based on pyrotechnically-actuated mechanism developed from a catapult pyrotechnic drive. This made possible more than 50 percent weight saving by elimination of much of this cumbersome equipment and a tremendous reduction in cost.