- 1). Position one rescuer at the head to serve as leader and to monitor head and neck stability.
- 2). Position the other rescuers along the sides of the litter, at least two to a side, trying to keep people of roughly equal height opposite each other.
- 3). Grab the litter through the appropriate hand-hold. Use whichever hand is appropriate to the direction you'll be walking.
- 4). Lift on the leader's call: "Lift on 3 - 1, 2, 3!"
- 5). Adjust each rescuer's lifting height as necessary to keep the injured person level.
- 6). Begin moving on the leader's call: "Move on 3 - 1, 2, 3!"
- 7). Walk for as long as you can before resting, following the leader's calls, commands and warnings at all times. Leader: be scanning ahead for obstacles and dangers, as well as monitoring the stability of the head and neck and issuing commands as necessary to keep the injured person level.
- 8). Stop when necessary (to monitor injuries, to re-secure knots, or to rest): notify the leader that you need to stop and follow the leader's calls: "Stop on 3 - 1, 2, 3!" and "Down on 3 - 1, 2, 3!"
- 9). Attend to any injuries that require monitoring.
- 10
Re-secure the ropes wherever they may have come loose. - 11
Readjust the padding as necessary, especially under the buttocks and under the heels, since a spine-injured person will not sense a cutoff in circulation. - 12
Repeat the above steps in order when you're ready to start again.
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