AY Honors/First aid/Improvised litter
Standard stretchers should be used whenever possible to transport a seriously injured person. If none are available, it may be necessary for you to improvise. Shutters, doors, boards, and even ladders may be used as stretchers. All stretchers of this kind must be very well padded and great care must be taken to see that the casualty is fastened securely in place. Sometimes a blanket may be used as a stretcher, as shown in the figure above. The casualty is placed in the middle of the blanket lying on his back. Three or four people kneel on each side and roll the edges of the blanket toward the casualty, as shown in part A of the figure. When the rolled edges are tight and large enough to grasp securely, the casualty should be lifted and carried as shown in part B of the figure. Stretchers may also be improvised by using two long poles (about 7 feet or 2.1 meters long) and strong cloth, such as a rug, a blanket, a sheet, a mattress cover, two or three gunny sacks, or two coats. Figure 4-81 shows an improvised stretcher made from two poles and a blanket.
CAUTION: Many improvised stretchers do not give sufficient support in cases where there are fractures or extensive wounds of the body. They should be used only when the casualty is able to stand some sagging, bending, or twisting without serious consequences. An example of this type of improvised stretcher would be one made of 40 to 50 feet of rope or 1 1/2-inch firehose.
