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Casualty Movement

Improvised Litters

  • Posted by Mike Shertz
  • Categories Casualty Movement, Improvised
  • Date August 6, 2022
Orange fencing commonly used at construction sites can be used as a makeshift litter, as demonstrated by Mike and two unnamed, masked associates

Creatively free-thinking under stress is extremely difficult. Learn to see improvised techniques in your every day environment and they will occur to you when you need them.

Construction Barrier

A very lightweight construction barrier is used as an improvised litter to carry a 185 pound casualty. It was flimsy enough it had to be folded on itself but then worked quite well.

A photo showing the standard, orange, perforated, plastic landscape or construction fencing
Orange fencing commonly used at construction sites can be used as a makeshift litter, as demonstrated by Mike and two unnamed, masked associates

A lightweight coffee table as a litter

Generally tables are going to be too heavy or awkward to use as improvised litters. However this one was quite light and portable, making it a good choice.

image

Improvised litter: Beach Lounge Chairs

A line of beach chairs is a line of improvised litters... Hoping never to need them, but it pays to be thinking about improvisation and battlefield recovery as we move through the world.

A line of beach lounge chairs is, when you're Mike on vacation, a row of improvised litters if the SHTF.

Standard chairs battlefield recovered as improvised litters

Carrying casualties is hard work. Finding something that is more ergonomic with which to carry them makes the process easier and faster. Running Tactical Casualty Care scenarios in a surprisingly well-furnished, but soon-to-be-demolished building gave us the opportunity to battlefield recover improvised litters from classrooms and offices.

Two handsome and burly men lift a simulated casualty in a standard office chair

Lightweight Pedestrian Barriers

Carrying casualties is hard work. Finding something that is more ergonomic with which to carry them makes the process easier and faster. All of London seems to be under construction and these plastic barriers are staged everywhere to block sidewalks and control pedestrian movement They'd also make a fine improvised litter for carrying casualties.

Lightweight UK pedestrian barriers

Carpet to improvised litter in 60-seconds

By cutting the carpet around the casualty, leaving enough room at the head and feet for either rolling the carpet on itself or, as here, cutting hand holds in it, a casualty can be drug by one rescuer, or carried by two rescuers. See also, https://www.crisis-medicine.com/carpet-to-improvised-litter-in-60-seconds/

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Mike Shertz

Dr. Mike Shertz is the Owner and Lead Instructor at Crisis Medicine. Dr. Shertz spent over 30 years gaining the experience and insight to create and provide his comprehensive, science-informed, training to better prepare everyday citizens, law enforcement, EMS, and the military to manage casualties and wounded in high-risk environments. Using a combination of current and historical events, Dr. Shertz’s lectures include relevant, illustrative photos, as well as hands-on demonstrations to demystify the how, why, when to use each emergency medical procedure you need to become a Force Multiplier for Good.

Previous post

UPDATED: Prehospital resuscitation of traumatic cardiac arrest?
August 6, 2022

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