What are 'Jaws of Life'? The tool believed to have saved Tiger Woods?

Tiger Woods suffered "serious leg injuries" in the crash that occurred around 7:15 a.m. in Rancho Palos Verdes, California according to the police report. The golf legend was rushed into a hospital in Torrance and later it was confirmed that he suffered "shattered ankle", two leg fractures (one compound) and lacerations. Injuries not life threatening.

‘Jaws of Life’

The police informed that Woods had to be extracted from the vehicle with the ‘jaws of life’ tool that was originally invented to rescue race car drivers. “Mr. Woods was extricated from the wreck with the ‘jaws of life’ by Los Angeles County firefighters and paramedics, then transported to a local hospital by ambulance for his injuries,” read the statement of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

This was later clarified:

“Earlier it was stated that the Jaws of Life was utilized to extricate the person trapped. It was later determined by our personnel that a Halligan tool, which is used for prying, and an axe was also used to pry the person free from the vehicle.”

The Halligan tool is used by the Los Angeles County firefighters and it is a hydraulic-extrication tool used by emergency responders and is most often deployed to pull drivers and passengers from heavily damaged vehicles after traffic collisions. But the Jaws of Life can also be used to rescue a victim trapped in other small spaces.