Tech Talk

July 2005

Brits Unveil Backpack Stretcher for Remote Areas

Edited by Robert H. Williams

A stretcher in a backpack, complete with a removable first-aid kit in a pouch, has been fielded by the United Kingdom’s Centurion Risk Assessment Services Ltd. The rucksack stretcher system has been developed specifically for use in hazardous locales.

The system weights 7 pounds, and grows to 11 pounds with the addition of an optional stretcher board. Included straps can immobilize the head, torso, arms and legs. And when fully secured, a casualty can be lifted horizontally, vertically or even upside down.