*** Stretcher Techniques for SAR *** From: decastro@netcom.com (Richard A. De Castro) Newsgroups: misc.emerg-services Subject: Re: [SAR & EMS] What's a better way to move a Stokes through brush for a mile? Date: Wed, 19 Jul 1995 00:46:55 GMT Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 261-4700 guest) "KEVIN E. SWEERE" writes:>Hello,Our local ambulance crew is considering their patient transportation options when it comes to getting the fellows outta the bush. Right now they have a fiberglass litter they either carry (in the summer) or tow with a snowmobile in the winter. In the winter, the litter is a rough ride forthe patient but it fits in the rig fine. A fancy snow sled has suspension but requires a trailer. In the summer, we just tough it out. I've read of attaching stong belts, cross-body slings, and even empty backpack frames to the litter to ease in carrying it.I've also read of attaching an ATV wheelto the litter. Russ Anderson(?) sells these for near $500 but I figure Icould weld one for $50. Of these what works the best? Any suggested places to purchase these items? Does anybody else have any ideas on how to better move a patient for say, a mile or so? (besides using a helio). The wheels are great - be sure to get/make one with a brake! I also use a long piece of webbing, doubled around the top rail, slungover the back, and held by the outside hand. But, it's still a bitch. >Kevin Sweere Superior Search and Rescue (we find em mostly) >kesweere@mtu.edu Tue Jul 18 14:16:19 1995 Message : #29039634 From: Chris Weddle Address : cweddle@astro.as.arizona.edu Group : Usenet.misc.emerg-services Subject : Re: [SAR & EMS] What's a better way to move a Stokes through Org. : University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ SARINFO@mindlink.bc.ca (Search & Rescue Info) writes: Kevin, We use a Cascade fibreglass stretcher which comes with a light nylon bicycle wheel on a tubular aluminum mount. This is much lighter, narrower and more manouverable than the large Anderson wheel. Definitely a big advantage on rugged narrow trails. The stretcher and wheel split into back-packable sections which are relatively light. Regards, Martin Colwell E-Mail Address: SARINFO@mindlink.bc.ca Most interesting. I don't recall hearing of this brand. Would like to get more info. Our favorite stokes and wheel is an all aluminum, breakdown, rated for helicopter hoist which was custom designed and built by an aerospace company as a donation some years ago. Incredibly light, with pull-out handles. One person can carry both halves, but we usually send it in with 2 people. In hundreds of evacs over many years, this stokes has never displayed any failures or signs of metal fatigue. Among the membership are some engineering types, and each year the welds are dye-pentrant tested and x-rayed. We also use a number of breakdown steel stokes and a variety of wheels. But the Russ Anderson design has proven too "bouncy". We use motorcycle wheels w/o any break drums. At the present time one of our people is experimenting with building even lighter and simpler wheel frames than what we're using, along with wheels made for mountain bikes. I'd be interested to hear from other people doing similar research or using such wheels. Chris Weddle Member- Ops Leader, Radio Operator, 4x4 Explorer and lots of other fun stuff BUT NOT SPEAKING FOR Southern Arizona Rescue Association, Inc. Address : bud2116@aol.com Group : Usenet.misc.emerg-services Subject : Re: [SAR & EMS] What's a better way to move a Stokes through Org. : America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364) How to move stokes (low angle carryout, I presume) 1 mile thru brush... 1) have lots of people to help. 2) use 6 or 8 man teams.... tie webbing to the stokes, then over your shoulder to your other hand... hold the stokes in one hand and push down on the webbing loop with the other... 3) rotate your members around the stokes and side to side (so on each rotation they carry with different arm.) just some suggestions, but then again I may just be pointing out the obvious... If I can help you out, let me know... I will try and visit your web site soon... Bud Lavin, RN, NREMT-P Assistant Chief of Operations Team Tech: Specialized Tactical Rescue Unit, Inc. (NJ) From: cweddle@astro.as.arizona.edu (Chris Weddle) Newsgroups: misc.emerg-services Subject: Re: [SAR & EMS] What's a better way to move a Stokes a mile? Date: 21 Jul 1995 13:46:22 GMT Organization: University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ Message-ID: <3uob3e$mg6@news.ccit.arizona.edu> I'll certainly agree that having lot's of people and rotating them frequently is essential to a stokes evac. But webbing slings and the backs of the rescuers? No thank you very much. Beg, borrow, steal, buy or make yourselves a stokes wheel. It will speed up the evac, take the strain off the rescuers, better protect the patient and just generally make your life easier. We do an awful lot of stokes evacs. Flat land, rolling hills, steep mountain trails, steeper mountain slopes and talus, vertical hauls and lowers. In all but the vertical environment, a wheeled stokes has always been the best way to go. Chris Weddle From: "Keith Conover, M.D." Newsgroups: misc.emerg-services Subject: Re: [SAR & EMS] What's a better way to move a Stokes through Date: Sat, 22 Jul 1995 14:54:30 Here in the East, we use 6 people on the litter -- we find 8 too crowded. We also like load straps, as described above (2" seatbelt webbing MUCH preferred over 1" tubular); I personally put a 2"Fastex buckle on a long piece (about 10 foot) of 2" webbing; can useit for a piggyback carry (as in diagram in Freedom of the Hills) for small people with minor injury. By using this long piece on the litter, I can tighten the Fastex buckle just to make the sling just precisely the right length to hold the litter via the strap over my shoulder. Much nicer than having to wrap the end of the webbing around one's hand, which cuts off the circulation after a half hour or so. The ASRC has a standard procedure for rotating litter bearers -- we probably developed it due to _tough_ brush (rhododendron, mountain laurel, etc.) in this area on both sides of many trails. 6 people on litter. Front left is litter captain. Extra litter bearers are ahead on the trail in pairs, last pair within screaming distance of the litter captain. When tired, litter captain shouts "ready to rotate!" and the pair of spare litter bearers directly ahead of the litter stop and move off to either side of the trail. They let the litter pass between them, then grab on the end and shout "rotate!." They tap the hand of the person in front of them, who then shifts forward a bit. When the litter captain and the front right peel off the litter and surge on ahead to the very front of the line of litter bearers. (This way they get to rest for awhile.) They also cross over to the opposite side so they stretch the other arm out. Advantages of this system: 1. can rotate litter bearers without stopping the litter. 2. can rotate often to minimize the pain. +---------------------------------------------------------------+ |Keith Conover, M.D., NSS 12893 | |Attending Staff/Information Systems Coordinator, Mercy Hospital| |Clinical Asst. Professor (Emergency Med.), Univ. of Pittsburgh | |(Univ. of Pgh. EM Residency and Center for Emergency Medicine) | +---------------------------------------------------------------+ | Medical Director, ASRC/CEM Wilderness EMS Institute | |Asst. Medical Director, Eastern Region, Natl. Cave Rescue Comm.| | PA Medical Director, Appalachian Search and Rescue Conference | +---------------------------------------------------------------+ Tue Jul 25 18:38:35 1995 Message : #29394321 From: Douglas Burchard Address : burchard@mail.halcyon.comb Group : Usenet.misc.emerg-services Subject : Re: [SAR & EMS] What's a better way to move a Stokes through Org. : Northwest Nexus Inc. We've moved patients 1 to 10 miles through all sorts of terrain using the Russ Anderson wheel, I highly recommend this over the thinner wheels such as the one sold by Cascade Toboggan. The wider wheel is harder to carry in but easier to control when under a load and in rough terrain. To ease the transport in try assembling the litter and wheel at the trailhead and running it up the trail that way. This last spring we carried a 230lb gentleman about 3-miles down a narrow root and boulder stewn path. We've also established a policy to not self-manufacture patient transport equipment when similar equipment is commercially available. This is due to the liability inherant in the possible failure of equipment. As Equipment Chairman I can not let myself think about "if" the equipment will fail but "when", and then what? Douglas Burchard Tue Jul 25 18:38:35 1995 Message : #29394323 From: Chris Weddle Address : cweddle@astro.as.arizona.edu Group : Usenet.misc.emerg-services Subject : Re: [SAR & EMS] What's a better way to move a Stokes through Org. : University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ I'll certainly agree that being well organized in how to rotate stokes handlers is helpful - but I just can't imagine carrying the stokes as a routine procedure. A stokes wheel makes the job so much easier, and saves so much wear and tear on the rescuers that the use of it simply overwhelms any other routine approach. Certainly there are times when a wheel is not appropriate. But we seek to make the use of a wheel as attractive and feasible as we can. This includes having "Brushing Teams" who cut trail ahead of the stokes. Buy wheels - Build wheels - Get Wheels Donated - You'll love the difference! Chris Weddle From: "Keith Conover, M.D." Newsgroups: misc.emerg-services Subject: Re: [SAR & EMS] What's a better way to move a Stokes through Date: Sun, 30 Jul 1995 05:20:59 When a NPS ranger I used wheels and they are OK. Many of the carryouts that the ASRC does are straight through brush on the sidesof the Appalachian mountains or their foothills, and the terrain is just not suitable for a wheel. The best place I know of for a wheel,and where one works great, is the massively-popular Dark Hollow Fallstrail in Shenandoah NP; the top half mile or so is asphalt paving and the wheel gives a nice smooth ride. BTW, since our group here in Pittsburgh (Allegheny Mtn. RescueGroup) keeps its equipment in a locker in the hospital, and then takes it upstairs to the helicopter or downstairs to a waiting vehicle, recently put wheels on our Stokes -- just two little wheels on one end so you can take the whole thing, loaded with gear, and wheel it out to the loading dock and throw it on the rack. When there's just one person there to pick it up it really helps. +---------------------------------------------------------------+ | Keith Conover, M.D., NSS 12893 | |Attending Staff/Information Systems Coordinator, Mercy Hospital| |Clinical Asst. Professor (Emergency Med.), Univ. of Pittsburgh | |(Univ. of Pgh. EM Residency and Center for Emergency Medicine) | +---------------------------------------------------------------+ | Medical Director, ASRC/CEM Wilderness EMS Institute | |Asst. Medical Director, Eastern Region, Natl. Cave Rescue Comm.| | PA Medical Director, Appalachian Search and Rescue Conference | +---------------------------------------------------------------+ Tue Aug 1 07:11:45 1995 Message : #29707369 From: Justin Kibell Address : jck@jaguar.catt.citri.edu.au Group : Usenet.misc.emerg-services Subject : Re: [SAR & EMS] What's a better way to move a Stokes through Posted: 31 Jul 1995 00:17:27 GMT Org. : CATT My suggestion would be to use 6 people. Four carrying, one on each corner. Then have the other two one at each end - one to clear the path and warn the others of obstacles and the rear person carrying extra gear. Then swap the non-load people with the stretcher attendants every now and then. This covers just about all things. The people carrying the stretcher can, if wearing a harness or belt, attach an adjustable length prusik loop with two karabiners and clip into the litter. This system is pretty flexible. Part 3 above is also very important. Don't want to get muscle cramp. :-) Cheers. ____________________________________________________________________________ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ _ _ ___ Training Officer - Eltham Unit / __| __/ __| | _ \ __/ __|/ __| | | | __| Justin C. Kibell - RAR, VRT, SAR \__ \ _|\__ \ | / _|\__ \ (__| |_| | _| Victoria State Emergency Service |___/___|___/ |_|_\___|___/\___|\___/|___| PO Box 260 Eltham 3095 Vic. Aus. http://www.catt.citri.edu.au/vicses/ jck@citri.edu.au Caring for Victorians From: "Keith Conover, M.D." Newsgroups: misc.emerg-services Subject: Re: Rescue Baskets Date: Sat, 12 Aug 1995 18:42:29 +0000 On 11 Aug 95 at 20:04, Tom Williams wrote: > Has anyone had experience with the break apart Plastic basket Ferno makes? We use the Ferno (usually not the split one) all the time for cave rescue in this area and love it (get the current version, not the previous model that broke when you looked at it hard). I've used the split Ferno plastic litter in thick brush and it worksjust peachy. Not quite so sure about using it for a vertical evac,though, unless you modify the center join yourself. Junkin also makes a part-plastic Stokes that is handy, too, but I like the Ferno better. The Sked is OK for dragging in a cave but it's a pain for any extended evacuation aboveground. (Biased and idiosyncratic personal opinion only, not an official position of MRA/NCRC/ASRC/WEMSI or other various acronymic organizations) Keith Conover, M.D. (NSS 12893, WD4PSY) - Information Systems Coordinator, Dept. of EM, Mercy Hospital - Clinical Assistant Professor, Dept. of Emergency Medicine, Univ. of Pittsburgh (EM Residency and Center for Emergency Medicine) - Medical Director, Wilderness EMS Institute (http://www.pitt.edu/DOC/95/30/32686/Wemsi.html) - Eastern Region, Natl. Cave Rescue Comm./Appalachian SAR Conf. Mon Aug 14 21:20:58 1995 Message : #30446307 From: Douglas Burchard Address : burchard@mail.halcyon.com Group : Usenet.misc.emerg-services Subject : Re: Rescue Baskets Org. : Northwest Nexus Inc. In article <40gd3i$rf3@news.orst.edu>, Tom Williams wrote: Hello All: We currently are using a wire basket for back country pt moving. Good feature: Breaks into two parts, makes storage a lot easier, and it is easier to get Pt's out of. Bad Feature: Our area is really brush country, and the wire dosn't protect the Patient as much as we need. Bad Feature: It doesn't slide over downed logs very well, and we do a lot of that. Bad Feature: It weighs a ton. Has anyone had experience with the break apart Plastic basket Ferno makes? Or any other plastic basket pros- cons. We don't do vertical lifts, just a lot of bad trails, logging sites, river bank rescues, and the like. Pt protection from limbs, briars ect is important. Also we tried a SKED (tm) with a backboard, and it was a flop as far as we were concerned. Any other thoughts? Tom Lt 9, Elkhorn Station, Stayton RFPD, Oregon We use the Cascade Toboggan model #200-breakdown. We order it with vertical pull brackets attached but no fins, handles, or wheels. We team it up with a Russ Anderson Wheel and a CMC Litter Shield. The Cascade Toboggan model #200 breaks into two roughly equal pieces along its short axis. Can be packed in by one or two people or assembled in the parking lot along with the Russ Anderson wheel and rolled up the trail by two team members. One drawback is its center attachment pin can become bent and very difficult to attach. This hasen't cause much of a problem but is a constant concern. Cost approx. $510.00 The Russ Anderson "big" wheel attaches to the side railings of most toboggans/baskets. Easy to use in the field it can be a chore to carry in due to bulk. We have created a packframe for this purpose but we are trying to phase this out because it causes one member to not be carrying basic survival gear. The size of the wheel causes it to ride and track better over roots and rocks than the thinner wheel sold by Cascade Toboggan. I don't have the cost available right now but I believe it to be approx. $500.00. The CMC litter shield stores easily inside a breakdown litter during transport in, and adds little weight. During patient transport the CMC litter shield covers the patients head and shoulders and protects the patient from wind, rain, snow, rock fall, brush, and twigs. Patients who have been transported using the litter shield remarked favorably on the protection it provides and the comfort they experienced. Cost is approx. $289.00. This combination works great! In King County we have eleven seperate teams (not including local FDs) which duplicate each others equipment quite a bit and still have found no better system. Hope this helps. Douglas Burchard, Equipment Chairman Ski Patrol Rescue Team (SPART), A member of King County Search and Rescue (KCSARA) -----------------------