Casualty Lifting - Preparation of The Stretcher

Preparation of The Stretcher

The stretcher must be unfolded, and the hinges secured and tested: a first responder presses the cloth with his knee at several points. When a vacuum mattress is used, it must be put on the stretcher, and the balls must be evenly distributed. A blanket is often used since hypothermia is a major risk for a casualty. The blanket must be wrapped around the casualty to avoid the heat leak from below (this is not necessary when the stretcher has a mattress, e.g. a vacuum mattress, or in case of an ambulance stretcher). For this purpose, the blanket is put before the lifting, and folded in a specific way:

  1. the blanket is laid so the diagonal is along the axis of the stretcher;
  2. the corners are put on the centre of the stretcher;
  3. the folded part are then rolled towards the stretcher;
  4. the rolls are then put under the blanket, so they will not unroll spontaneously; the corners are sticking out so they can be pulled.

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