Emergency Stretchers
Categories:
Xii Accidents
Loss of blood is too weakening to permit of the patient walking, and the
exertion may start the wound bleeding again, so a stretcher of some kind
must be contrived in which she may be carried. You can make a good
emergency stretcher of two strong poles of _green_ wood, one large
blanket, and the ever-useful horse-blanket safety-pins. The poles should
be about six feet long, of a size to clasp easily in your hand, and as
smooth as they can be made with hurried work. They should, at least, be
free from jagged stumps or branches and twigs.
Begin by folding the blanket through the middle _over_ one of the poles,
then pin the blanket together with the large safety-pins, with the pins
about six inches apart, to hold the pole in place. That finishes one
side; for the other, lap the two edges of the blanket over the second
pole and pin them down like a hem. The stretcher will be of double
thickness and will hold the injured person comfortably.
If a serious accident should occur some distance from camp and there are
no blankets to use, do not hesitate to appropriate for a stretcher
whatever you have with you. When there is nothing else cut your khaki
skirt into strips about twelve inches wide and tie the ends to two poles
(the poles need not be smooth except at the ends), leaving spaces
between.