RESCUE AND EVACUATION - Medicine for Mountaineering and Other Wilderness Activities - page 93

On expeditions, rucksacks are generally available. Techniques for carrying individuals
with rucksacks can be improvised very quickly. Another advantage of using these tech-
niques is the group is able to carry the most important survival gear.
Single-Rescuer Technique
This technique is excellent for individuals with lower limb injuries or those who are ill
butareconsciousandabletositandholdthemselves onthebackofarescuer.Bothrescuer
and the person being carried can carry a rucksack with their most important personal gear.
The rucksack with the longest straps is chosen.
The rescuer's shoulders are padded.
The person to be carried puts one leg through each strap so the rucksack is partially un-
derhisseatandpullstherucksackashighonhisbackaspossible.(Thewaistbeltofthe
rucksack must be located between the thighs of the person to be carried.)
The rescuer slips between the legs of the person to be carried and places the straps on
his own shoulders.
The person to be carried is informed that he will be held high over the head of the res-
cuer and that he should secure himself by placing his arms over the shoulders of the
rescuer.
The rescuer should stand up, if possible with the help of another person, and adjust the
load.
The person to be carried should be given his ownrucksack bya helper.(Ifthe person to
becarriedandtherescuerarealone,thepersonmayputhisrucksackonhisbackbefore
the rescuer stands up.)
While traveling, the rescuer may search for large stones that can be used as resting
places. The rescuer lets the person being carried sit on the stone without slipping out of
the rucksack straps ( Fig. 7-2 ).
Rucksack Stretcher
For individuals who should be carried in a horizontal position, such as unconscious per-
sons or individuals with femoral, pelvic, or vertebral fractures, a rucksack stretcher made
with fairly full rucksacks (survival gear) and carried by at least three rescuers on each side,
allows the occupant to be well stabilized. While restrained with the hip belts of the ruck-
sacks,theoccupantwillnotfallfromthestretcherifoneoftherescuersslips.Thisstretcher
can, literally, be made in one minute and provides good support, whereas improvised rope
stretchers take a long time to construct and provide rather poor support.
Threeorfourrucksacks(dependingontheheightofthepersontobecarried)areplaced
on flat ground, top to bottom in a line with the carrying sides up.