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Safely Transporting an Immobilized Person
Essential Information
Key Guidelines:
Sequential Actions
Ensuring Spinal Protection
Handling a Potential Spinal Injury
Securing a Person with Spinal Injury
Repositioning for Safety
Relocating Individuals Unaffected by Spinal Injuries
Employ the Human Crutch Technique. When the individual is conscious and mobile, this method proves effective, particularly for single-leg injuries.
- Assume a crouched position with knees bent and back upright beside the injured person's affected side. Assist them in sitting up, wrapping their arm around your shoulder. Gradually rise, allowing them to support themselves with their uninjured leg. You'll bear their weight on the injured side, holding their hand across your shoulders with your far hand and around their waist with your other hand.
- Aid their balance as they hop to safety, reducing pressure on the injured leg.
Utilize Dragging for Relocation. This method is safer than lifting, reducing risks for both you and the injured party. Maintain a slow, steady pull, keeping the movement as straight as possible to ensure spinal alignment.
- Blanket Technique — Preferred for injury relocation. Transfer the individual onto a blanket using a controlled roll or three-person lift. Ensure the head remains approximately 2 feet from the blanket's edge. Wrap the blanket snugly and pull in a straight line, utilizing leg strength while maintaining proper back posture.
- Shoulder Maneuver — Suitable for leg injuries, offering head support. Bend forward, knees slightly bent. Grip the individual beneath their shoulders, supporting their head as you pull.
- Ankle Traction — Applicable for non-leg injuries. Bend at the knees, maintaining a straight back, to grasp the ankles. Lean back, applying steady pressure to pull them safely, ensuring no surfaces or objects pose additional risk. If spinal injury is ruled out, minimal head movement is permissible. In cases of potential spinal injury, minimize head movement as much as possible.
- Clothing Drag — For injuries to both arms and legs, resort to clothing dragging. Ensure careful attention to prevent sudden tearing and head impact. Bend knees, grip clothing under the armpits, and use body weight to drag.
Adopt the Cradle Carry for Children. Ideal for quick, easy transport of children or smaller individuals, albeit tiring for the carrier due to the weight distribution.
- Lift the child in front of you, one hand supporting their back and the other beneath their knees.
- Bend at the knees, maintaining back alignment during the lift to avoid personal injury, ensuring sustained effectiveness in assisting.
Apply Backpack Carrying for Larger Individuals. Suitable for unconscious or larger individuals, exceeding cradle carrying capacities or requiring extended transport distances.
- Position the individual on their back, bending their legs. Stand on their toes and pull them upright by their wrists.
- Rotate, placing their chest against your back and their arms over your shoulders. Slightly lean forward at the waist to secure their arms and carry them akin to a backpack.
