How to Make an Easy Evac Stretcher

An evac stretcher can be made from improvised materials to get a patient out of the wilderness quickly.

Wilderness medicine has been described by many wilderness medicine instructors as "the art of medicine," since it requires some creativity to best care for a patient in a wilderness setting. In terms of medical help, a wilderness setting is one in which you are at least one hour away from definitive care, such as a hospital or ambulance with proper equipment and trained medical professionals. In the case of someone getting injured bad enough to be incapable of hiking out, you should know how to create a basic evacuation stretcher that will get your patient to professional care as quickly as possible.

Things You'll Need

• 2 sturdy poles, paddles, or skinny trees
• 1 large piece of material, such as a tent or sleeping bag

Instructions

1. Measure your poles or find two skinny trees or logs that are at least 2 feet longer than the injured person.

2. Lay your piece of fabric out and measure the width. Lay the two poles on the outside edges of the fabric, and roll the poles toward one another, leaving about 3 feet of width between the poles for the person to lie on.

3. Flip the stretcher over so the rolled edges are on the underside. Have a healthy person lie down on the stretcher and practice lifting and carrying him around to ensure that the stretcher will hold strong. Practice a plan that should include a count-off for lifting and lowering the stretcher each time, so that it is done smoothly. Determine how long you will walk before taking a break or switching out carriers.

Tips & Warnings

• You can tie two poles together on each end if that is all you have to work with. Make sure that they will definitely hold a person's weight. You will likely need reinforcement or extra hands to carry the stretcher in this case.

• A sleeping bag or even a few jackets can be zippered around the stretcher if that is all you have. You could also tie sections of rope between the two poles and line the top with thick blankets. Be creative, if necessary.

• You should not move any patient unless it is essential to get him to medical care as soon as possible. If you can keep him stable, send a runner to get help to come to you.

• If the injured patient has a back or neck injury, or complains of numbness or tingling in his extremities, it will be essential that you do not move the spine. If you must move the patient, your stretcher will have to be rigid, and the carriers will have to be careful not to cause new injuries to the patient by dropping or jarring him at all.

• Keep the patient's head above his feet while carrying him to prevent blood rushing to his head and causing pain.

References

• Wilderness Medical Institute: Meet Our Staff