Emergencies occur all the time, some more complicated than others. You’ll need exceptional skills, training, and specialized tools to complete this rescue. These rescues also need to be brave because they’re risky.
Today, we will explore the stretchers best suited for complicated rescues.
The Neil Robertson and the basket stretcher are the best stretchers for complicated rescues.
The Neil Robertson stretcher helps you do rescues from small spaces where other gurneys can’t fit. Meanwhile, the basket stretcher is very versatile. It allows you to drag, carry, and lift your patient out of the emergency scene.
Let’s look at these stretchers in more detail.
1 – The Neil Robertson Stretcher
The first Neil Robertson stretchers were used in ships. Ships have many tight and small spaces, such as boiler and pump rooms, engine rooms, and cargo holds. These spaces can’t accommodate an emergency team, and the traditional stretcher won’t fit.
The Neil Robertson stretcher is foldable and suitable for pulling people from these tight spaces.
As the image below shows, they’re also suitable for helicopter rescues:
Source: https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/sea-rescue-gm147250394-7626357?phrase=helicopter%20rescue
The Neil Robertson stretcher is useful in complicated emergencies. You can use them in industries and field rescues. You’ll also find it in the military and the mining and construction industries.
The Design of the Neil Robertson Stretcher
When Neil Robertson designed the stretcher, named after him, he sought to ensure the patient’s stability before lifting. The gurney’s exceptional spliced design makes it an obvious choice for any rescue requiring lifting or lowering the casualty. Its design allows you to wrap the stretcher around the casualty and secure them with straps before rescue.
The stretcher is 1.5 meters long, 1.0 meters wide when open, and 0.3 meters wide when folded. It weighs 9.8 kilograms and can carry a patient weighing 120kgs.
There used to be a slightly longer model, the two-meter version, but it was discontinued from production in early 2020. The discontinued model was 1.63 meters long and weighed 10 kilograms but had a similar width as the standard Neil Robertson Stretcher.
The original Neil Robertson stretcher of the early 1900s was made from bamboo slats and thick canvas. The modern stretcher is made from:
- Hardwood for the frame
- Polyester oxford textile or canvas for the outer material. Some have rot-proof cotton
- A strong nylon or manila guard rope
- Metallic for the “O” rings
The Neil Robertson stretcher comes with a carrying bag in which to store the stretcher. It also has a pillow for supporting the casualty’s neck.
How to use the Neil Robertson Stretcher
The first step of using the stretcher involves unpacking and inspecting it. The inspection involves several activities, including:
- Examining the canvas for signs of water damage, rotting, and wear and tear.
- Examining if the rope, restraining straps, and head straps have any deterioration signs.
- Checking for broken slats and distorted O-rings.
- Confirming that the securing buckles fasten correctly.
After pre-service checks, the following steps will help secure the patient:
Step 1: Place the stretcher alongside the casualty. Ensure the side with the canvas or fabric is facing up. Unfasten the head strap, guide ropes, and restraining straps to unfold the stretcher. Below is an image of a folded and unfolded Neil Robertson Stretcher:
Source: https://stock.adobe.com/ke/search?k=%22neil+robertson+stretcher%22
Step 2: Move the casualty onto the stretcher. The standard procedure involves carrying the casualty and placing them on the stretcher. Alternatively, you can lift the patient sideways and place the stretcher underneath them. Once the patient is on the stretcher, ensure their forehead lies at the same level as the stretcher’s head restraint. Place the pillow before the patient.
Step 3: Secure the casualty. Start the securing process by fastening the head restraints and chest straps before moving to the leg and ankle straps. Ensure their hands are inside the center straps before fastening them. Confirm that you’ve tightened all the ropes before moving to the next step.
Step 4: Lift and transport your casualty to safety. The Neil Robertson stretcher allows you to move your patient vertically and horizontally. Before lifting the patient, ensure you secure the guide to the stretcher’s end O-ring.
You can use its heavy-duty handles to lift and carry the patient to safety. Alternatively, you can lower or lift the patent to safety using the nylon rope secured to the O-rings. The guide rope will help you maneuver the patient during the lifting process.
Note: Never use the guide rope that comes with the stretcher to suspend your patient. Use a strong nylon rope instead.
1 – The Basket Stretcher
The basket stretcher, also known as a litter, is suitable for rescues from confined spaces and those with many obstacles. It has several features that make it ideal for complicated rescues.
Basket Stretcher Features
Basket liters are versatile because of their design features which include:
- Basket stretchers are foldable, making them easy to store and transport to the emergency site. They’re made from parts you can assemble when you need to carry the patient.
- They are made from materials resistant to fire, corrosion, and everyday wear and tear. These materials allow you to rescue a patient from a hazardous situation. You can also drag the patient when necessary. Fiberglass, aluminum, and hardened plastic are the most common materials. Older designs had chicken wire and metal tubes.
- Their lengths are adjustable to allow you to transport casualties of different sizes. The maximum length is 2.16 meters, while the maximum width and height are 0.61 meters and 0.19 meters, respectively.
- The basket stretcher weighs between 18 and 20 kilograms and can carry a casualty weighing 159 kilograms. Some designs for bariatric patients can carry up to 400 kilograms.
How to Use a Basket Stretcher
Once you are at the emergency scene, follow these steps when rescuing the patient:
Step 1: Place a blanket over the stretcher. The blanket helps improve patient comfort and keeps them warm.
Step 2: Transfer the patient onto the litter. The transfer method depends on the extent of the casualty’s injuries. If they don’t have bone, spinal cord, or neck injuries, lift and place them on the stretcher. If they have these injuries, use a scoop stretcher for the transfer process.
Step 3: Secure the patient using straps. These steps help keep the patient motionless as you navigate the tough terrain dung the rescue process. Below is an image of a well-secured patient:
Step 4: Carry the patient to safety using its handles or helicopter hoist.
Conclusion
Complicated rescues are made possible by Neil Robertson and the basket stretchers. You can use the Neil Robertson stretcher in tiny areas that require vertical or horizontal rescuing. Meanwhile, the basket stretcher is for rescues from hazardous and confined spaces.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Neil Robertson stretchers used only in ships?
No. You can use Neil Robertson stretchers to rescue casualties from confined spaces too small for regular gurneys.
Can I use a Neil Robertson Stretcher for helicopter rescues?
Yes. Once you wrap the Neil Robertson stretcher around the patient and tighten the straps, it can lift the patent to the helicopter.
What materials are used for making the basket stretcher?
The older designs had meta tubes and chicken wire. Modern designs are made from hardened plastic, aluminum, or fiberglass.
