Theninjaseal 10 Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 I've been in scouts quite a while (almost Eagle!) and I've encountered several situations in which a friend - or a stranger - has been hurt in the leg and needs to be moved. I've been searching for the best way to transport someone over fairly long distances (400-500 yards, or more) without irritating a broken leg, foot, or ankle, or a bad blister, sprain etc. Basically back to camp from wherever we happen to be. We always travel in groups of at least 4, so if the victim is moving there will be at least two people with him. The most recent example was at summer camp: One of the guys neglected to wear socks to a troop game of Ultimate and played through a nasty blister from his sandles. It popped and continued to rub on the skin underneath. It got to the point where he could barely walk, and stumbled in pain instead when he put pressure on that foot. After some friendly chastising of his neglect, me and another senior scout put each of his arms around our shoulders. We tried to take as much weight off of his legs as possible, but it was still a long 500 yards back to camp, for all three of us. (we had left our 1st aid kits there, and it was a more sterile environment) Outside of the more preventable aspects of this example, it got me thinking about the best way to carry someone with an injured leg. -Many guys are a bit heavy for the over-the-shoulder carry, and it can be a bit unstable -The fireman carry leaves a slightly taller person's feet dragging on the ground - not good for any leg injury -We've tried the four-handed seat carry, but in general everybody's hands and arms get way too sweaty and slippery (between being outside and carrying a guy) to keep grip, and we often have to set the person down and reset. It's also a little harder to walk that way. So this is my question, up for debate and discussion: What is the best long distance one-man or two-man carry for a person with an injured leg? All replies and responses are welcome and helpful Be prepared, Jimbo Link to post Share on other sites
AK-Eagle 19 Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 I may stir up a bit of angst with this answer but here it goes.. The best way to move is not at all unless they are in a dangerous spot or to make more comfortable. Splint the break, prepare to treat for shock, then send a couple of people for professional help and let them bring a team that has the equipment to move the victim safely. Moving yourself you risk further injury to the victim and possible injury to those attempting the self-rescue. AK-Eagle Link to post Share on other sites
Callooh! Callay!1428010939 28 Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 What is the best long distance one-man or two-man carry for a person with an injured leg? Best? I suppose it would depend on the resources available, the strength and condition of the carrier(s), the weight and condition of the victim, the extent, nature, and seriousness of the injury, whether or not they actually need to be moved and how far (think about AK-Eagle's advice above for this decision), the terrain, maybe even the weather. That you know some ways already is good. If and when you must improvise, adapt, and overcome to deal with a situation, you'll have a base of skills and knowledge from which you may calmly adapt to handle the situation as well as it can be handled with the resources you have available to handle it. In the situation you describe it sounds like there were more scouts around that could have helped or swapped out spots with you had you been unable to continue. But I am probably not telling you anything in this post that you didn't already know. Sorry. Socks are good. Open toed shoes are not welcome around Boy Scout camps I've been to lately. I like to wear sandals, but refrain from wearing them around camp. You registered 9/3/2011 according to the info in the left margin and your first post is the one that starts this thread. (This message has been edited by Callooh! Callay!)(This message has been edited by Callooh! Callay!) Link to post Share on other sites
qwazse 4342 Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 Depends on the nature of the injury and urgency. The rescue moves that you describe had the notion of moving someone from distances on par with from a house to the sidewalk. A quarter mile wasn't part of the specs! Longer distances? Make a crutch! Or a stretcher. Those folding camp chairs, and four guys can help haul a body a good stretch. Link to post Share on other sites
nldscout 18 Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 Callooh! Callay! said, "You registered 9/3/2011 according to the info in the left margin and your first post is the one that starts this thread." I wasn't aware of any rule that said a person couldn't observe, read and learn before asking any question. Gee, did I miss something or did you suddenly become the Scouter moderator to deceide which youth get to ask question? That was a very unscout like rude response to a young mans honest question. Link to post Share on other sites
Callooh! Callay!1428010939 28 Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 nldsscout, What part of my response was rude or unscoutlike? I didn't say - nor did I mean that there was something wrong with registering 9/3/2011 and first posting on 6/29/2012. It's simply a curious phenomenon. Anyway, since you've now declared yourself to be "the Scouter moderator to deceide which" poster gets to answer a question.... maybe you should tune the sensitivity of your rude and unscoutlikeness detector. For calibration purposes use my answer to the original question, which had no venom in it at all, and contrast it with this one, which had a little, just to answer yours in kind. Link to post Share on other sites
nldscout 18 Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 So you dont like rude answer? Shoe is on the other foot now isn't it. A young man asks a reasonable question and you answer it with a snide remark. No wonder young man don't come on here that often with people like you here. Link to post Share on other sites
Scoutfish 16 Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 So I am thinking the point of a rescue carry is to get the person to help. With this in mind, it does no good to tire yourself out and become exhausted where you can't help at all. My guess would be use the shoulder carry or a stretcher assuming you had at a minimum of 2 strong scouts to lift it. 4 or more would be better, but you do what you can with what you have. The seat carry is great for short distances or up/down stairs, but not something you'd want to do for 500 yards. In the case of a bad blister, well, we aren't talking broken leg or such. SCout is indeed in pain and will have learned a life lesson from it. Link to post Share on other sites
Callooh! Callay!1428010939 28 Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 "Don't like rude answers?" As a matter of fact, sometimes I do. We should regularly remind ourselves to receive honors with humility. But we nevertheless can't help but be gladdened when shallow self righteousness and grandstanding moral exhibitionism lash out at us in anger. Those lashes are badges of honor. This little lash you've given me though seems due to nothing more than simple misunderstanding. You mistakenly read into my post an intent to insult or discourage that was not intended. So I guess the lash you've given me must be more like a participation award rather than one for exemplary service. (This message has been edited by Callooh! Callay!) Link to post Share on other sites
le Voyageur 72 Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 The best has already been posted....don't move the pt. Immoblize the best you can, prep the pt the best you can for your absent, then go get help. The last thing you want to do is to cause a fracture to pierce, or sever an artery...bad juju.... Second, a one man fireman carry over a long distance on uneven terrain will soon see two people needing rescue...again, bad juju.. Third, it there's no choice but to move, then make a litter and use a tump line for an assist to save the hands... Link to post Share on other sites
fred8033 1592 Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 Best has already been posted by AK-Eagle. Years ago the first time I took Wilderness first aid training I was shocked at how many people were required to evacuate an injured person. I wish I could quote the Red Cross number to carry a victim a few miles out. It was huge. Plus it's difficult. Stretchers take six people to carry. That's often wider than the hiking path and makes it dangerous both for the victim and the rescuers. Unless your a fireman, a marine or an Olympian, anything over a very short distance needs a stretcher. 500 yards (over a quarter mile) is a long distance and major work. You need a stretcher and enough capable (strength, endurance, etc) people to carry it. Unless the victim is in imminent danger, go for help. Now if it was just a bad blister, fine. Help him hobble out. Find him a strong stick to use as a crutch or support him. Fire department would be upset to perform a bad blister rescue. Link to post Share on other sites
boomerscout 35 Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 at camp: leave him where he is, go to HQ and return with one of those cross-country golf-cart things to haul him in further out: leave him with a buddy, go for help further out & can't go for help (???) lash a travois with a two man pull handle Link to post Share on other sites
SeattlePioneer 144 Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 I think you'd want to drink the Bud first so you wouldn't have to carry it. Link to post Share on other sites
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