If you have help
VIDEO 23 - THE HUMAN CRUTCH WITH TWO PEOPLE
The human crutch with two people
When to use it:
If the casualty can walk, but needs support and help:
How to do it:
Help the casualty to a standing position.
The two carriers stand on either side and slightly behind the casualty.
Each person holds the casualty’s belt, or the back of his or her trousers or clothing with one hand.
Each person holds the person’s arm nearest to them with the other hand.
Two-handed seat
When to use it:
The two-handed seat can be used if the casualty cannot walk. It can be used to move a conscious casualty for a short distance.
How to do it:
Make sure the casualty is lying on his or her back.
One person must stand on each side of the casualty’s hips and kneel down.
Each of you must pass one arm under the casualty’s back and the other arm under the casualty’s thigh.
Hold each other’s wrists tightly.
Both stand up at the same time, lifting the casualty.
Four-handed seat
When to use it:
The four-handed seat is similar to the two-handed seat, and is used to carry a conscious casualty who has good balance and can help support himself or herself while he or she is being carried. This carry is very useful when transporting a casualty with a head or foot injury for a distance that is not too long.
How to do it:
Both of you should stand behind the casualty.
Face each other. Each of you must hold your own left wrist with your own right hand, and then hold the other carrier’s right wrist with your left hand. Your four hands make a “seat”.
The casualty stands on his or her own or someone else helps the casualty to stand.
Both of you lower your bodies so the“seat” is about at the same height as the casualty’s knees.
The casualty sits on the “seat” and places his or her arms around your shoulders for balance and support. The casualty should NOT hold you around the neck.Both of you stand up together, lifting the casualty.
Fore-and-aft carry
When to use it:
The fore-and-aft carry is used to transport a conscious or unconscious casualty for a longer distance.
How to do it:
Make sure the casualty is lying on his or her back with his or her arms at the sides.
The carrier who is taller must kneel at the casualty’s head and face toward the casualty’s feet. He or she must slide his or her hands under the casualty’s arms and across the casualty’s chest, gripping his or her hands together.
The other carrier must open the casualty’s legs, and kneel between them with his or her back to the first carrier, and hold under the casualty’s knees.
Both of you must stand up together, lifting the casualty and walking forward.
Blanket carry
You can carry a casualty for quite a long distance if you use something that the casualty can lie on while you carry him or her. You can take rest breaks when you need to. One person must always be the leader, and give the order to “lift”, “move”, “stop”, “lower”, etc.
When to use it:
This method needs a blanket or sheet large enough and strong enough to hold the weight of the casualty, and also enough helpers. It is best to use six people for this carry to make sure the casualty does not roll off the blanket/sheet during the move. You should not use this method when you think that the casualty has a spinal injury.
How to do it:
Roll up one half of the sheet or blanket.
The carriers should stand on each side of the casualty, evenly spaced.
All the carriers should help to roll the casualty onto his or her side, making sure to keep his or her back straight.
Place the rolled-up side of the sheet or blanket against the casualty’s back.
All the carriers should help to roll the casualty onto the blanket/sheet, over the rolled-up blanket/sheet,and onto his or her other side.
Unroll enough of the blanket/sheet to lay the casualty flat on his or her back. Roll up the other side to make a good hold.
Each carrier should sit ontheir heels, and hold the blanket securely (make sure the carriers are evenly spaced down each side).
Stand up together, keeping the feet slightly apart and the back straight.
Stretcher
When to use it:
This method is the best method to transport a casualty over a long distance. Stretchers can be improvised (made from something else), using for example, a door, a table-top, two poles (or branches) and coats, a blanket, or grain sacks. Two people can carry a casualty on a stretcher because of the poles, although four people is best. However, you should not use a stretcher made of non-rigid material (eg. blanket, clothing or sacks) to transport a casualty with suspected head or spinal injuries.
If there are two carriers, one carrier holds the two front poles while the other holds the back poles. It is the person at the back that gives the commands (when to lift, when to start, when to stop, etc)
With four carriers, the person at the back on the right gives the commands.
How to make an improvised stretcher:
Always test an improvised stretcher with someone who is not injured and is at least as heavy as the casualty to make sure it will hold. Also check that you will be able to move the stretcher through doors/around corners/up or down stairs without hurting the casualty.
With a blanket
Place the blanket flat on the ground.
Place a pole one-third of the way from one end of the blanket.
Fold the one-third length of blanket over the pole.
Place the second pole parallel to the first (on top of the folded blanket), so that it is far enough away to fit the casualty, but close enough so that it is at least 15cm (about a hand-length) from the folded-over edge.
Fold the remaining blanket over the two poles. The weight of the casualty will hold the blanket in place.
With two shirts, jackets or coats
Button and/or zip the shirts, jackets or coats closed and pull the sleeves inside-out, so that the sleeves are inside (or pull them off yourself and/or your helper so that they are inside-out with the sleeves inside).
Lay the shirts/jackets/coats on the ground, so that the top edge of one shirt/jacket/coat meets the bottom of the other.
Pass the poles through the sleeves of the two shirts/jackets/coats on either side – this will make the stretcher.
If the stretcher is too short, add another shirt. jacket or coat, placing the head towards the middle.
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