Stretchers are typically used in emergencies to transport incapacitated patients who can’t move, walk, or are unconscious.
The unique design of a basket stretcher allows paramedics to use it in challenging rescue situations, as we shall discuss shortly. The shape of basket stretchers allows emergency medical personnel to secure the patient enough to move through a route full of obstacles. Rescuing patients from confined areas or areas inaccessible by road is challenging, but a basket stretcher secures the patient well enough to facilitate a safe rescue.
As you can see from above, basket stretchers are very critical in emergency rescue situations. That is why you will find them in many ambulances.
Today, we examine situations when you would use a basket stretcher.
Rescue In Confined Spaces
Rescuing a patient in confined spaces can be challenging, even for fully trained rescue personnel. However, having the necessary gear and tools, including the basket stretcher, makes the situation a little bit easier.
Confined space rescue generally falls into three categories, namely:
- Self-rescue
- External or non-entry rescue
- Entry rescue
Self-Rescues
Self-rescue involves the patient exiting the area on their own either because they feel unwell or have identified a hazard. An example of this situation is a person leaving a gas plant after the monitors detect a danger of explosion.
Thus, self-rescues can only happen when the patient can move and maneuver around any obstacles present in the confined space. In such situations, paramedics will be on standby and may not need to use stretchers to move the patient to a healthcare facility.
Non-Entry Rescues
Non-entry rescue involves paramedics using tools to extract the patient without entering the space. A good example is medical personnel lowering ropes that the patient holds onto while pulling them out of a hole.
However, if the confined space is almost horizontal, the paramedics could push the basket stretcher through the hole and ask the patient to lie inside. They can then pull the patient out.
The material used to manufacture basket stretchers can withstand significant abrasion, allowing the paramedics to drag it on the ground whenever necessary.
A basket rescue stretcher is light and is made from a reinforced aluminum alloy tube that enables it to resist compression, erosion, and wear.
It has fasteners on both sides where the paramedics can tie the ropes to pull the patient out of the confined space.
The features of this basket stretcher also make it suitable for marine and helicopter rescues.
Entry Rescues
It is during the entry rescue that the basket stretcher becomes useful. These rescues involve the medical personnel going to the patient, placing them on the stretcher, and moving them to the hospital.
The problem with confined spaces is that the presence of medical personnel in the emergency scene increases the risks. The danger is heightened when the paramedics don’t fully understand the hazards involved.
Nevertheless, these rescue situations represent a climax of the paramedics’ training. The paramedics usually adhere to a specific procedure when rescuing an immobilized patient. It includes the following steps:
Step #1: Paramedics carefully move into the scene of the emergency. They usually fold the basket structure into two when not in use to make it easy to carry.
Step #2: The second step involves assembling the stretcher by fastening the two parts together. Basket stretchers are usually fitted with a mechanism that allows paramedics to adjust their height and also split it into two parts to facilitate mobility.
Step #3: The third step is laying a blanket unfolded over the basket stretcher. The blanket is essential during cold weather since paramedics want to keep the patient warm.
Step #4: The fourth step involves placing the patient in the basket stretcher. If the patient can move, the paramedic can guide them on how to lie on the stretcher. If they can’t move, the paramedics will lift them and place them inside the stretcher.
Step #5: In the fifth step, paramedics will place padding under the patient. The padding will act as a pillow and help the patient feel more comfortable as they lie on the stretcher.
Step #6: The sixth step involves folding the blanket. The paramedics fold the end of the blanket near the patient’s feet and tuck it below the patient’s ankle to avoid chafing.
Step #7: Finally, the paramedics will carry the patient to safety. Three paramedics are needed to carry the patient, but two can manage if the space is too confined.
Helicopter Rescues
Some emergencies involve life-threatening injuries that require immediate medical attention. Usually, the emergency team will deploy an ambulance if the site is only a few minutes away from a hospital.
However, if it’s far away or far from any roads, the emergency team will dispatch a rescue helicopter.
Below are examples of emergencies that need a helicopter rescue:
- An emergency on a steep mountain trail. The steep slopes, vegetation, and trees may make a rescue by road impossible, requiring helicopter rescues.
- Emergencies in areas far away from businesses, homes, or roads. In such a case, it can be challenging to pinpoint the location from the ground hence the need to coordinate rescue from the air.
- Injuries in wildernesses without access roads. Without proper roads, an ambulance may take a long time to reach an emergency location or even get stuck along the way. A rescue helicopter comes in handy to secure the patient and transport them to a health facility.
- An emergency on a ship, boat, or oil rig requiring immediate evacuation to the hospital. Ambulances can’t reach these emergency locations, hence the need for a rescue helicopter.
Landing helicopters in mountainous terrains can be a challenge. Thus, paramedics will have to hover the helicopter over the site to perform a hoist rescue.
Basket stretchers come with sufficient safety straps to secure the patient and allow them to be hoisted at an angle.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the unique design of a basket rescue stretcher makes it useful in environments that are difficult to access using conventional methods. Confined areas and situations requiring helicopter rescue are examples of situations where you can use the basket stretcher.
Once you secure the patient to the basket stretcher, you can drag them through confined spaces or even lift them to a hovering helicopter to transport them to a health facility.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the other name for a basket stretcher?
A basket stretcher can also be called a litter.
Can a basket stretcher be used to carry a heavy patient?
Yes.
Basket stretchers are usually reinforced with aluminum tubing, making them strong enough to lift approximately 250 kilograms. Given that the average weight of an adult is 70 kilograms, this stretcher can be used to lift a heavy person.
Which situations are ideal for using a basket stretcher?
Paramedics mostly use basket stretchers in search and rescue emergency operations. Their shape allows paramedics to move patients on slopes, confined areas, and even up helicopters. Please read the article above to learn more about the best situations for basket stretcher use.
