The typical way to handle a pneumothorax (without an existing hole in the chest) in pre-hospital care is with a chest decompression needle, which is often a part of a paramedic’s kit: https://www.narescue.com/ars-for-needle-decompression-3-25-i... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thoracentesis Would have been much easier than using a coat hanger and silverware if they had it on board, already pre-sterilized…
Thats the typical way to handle a tension pneumo, which is slightly different but highly emergent. It's unlikely the case described was a tension pneumo because of the time period, but it very well could have developed that way, and regardless the treatment should be as useful - however one of the benefits of a needle decompression is that, because the lung has compressed so significantly, you don't have to be too concerned about where you drop it (ie you will always hit an airspace). whereas in the intermediate stages (which is what it sounds like they were treating), entering laterally ~4/5th intercostal space is better because you're less likely to hit lung which still occupies a significant percentage of the chest cavity - ie more likely to hit the air pocket AND provide definitive treatment (which clearly some macgyver surgery is not).
So more than likely they were aiming to intervene before it needed to be a needle decompression. But also, they were probably thinking this is going to be a ripper of a story and we've got the skills to pull it off