The traditional means of rapidly extracting an injured person if you’re on your own is the highly uncomfortable fireman’s carry — sling the guy over your shoulders and hold on. However, a new emergency sling designed by the Israeli Army holds the wounded like a “human backpack”.
Known as the Injured Personnel Carrier (IPC) and designed by Agilite in conjunction with the Israeli Army, it’s based off an improvised method that employs four rifle slings to strap a wounded person to the rescuer’s back, rather than across his shoulders. This method is much more comfortable for both parties and frees both of the rescuer’s hands. It attaches as a multi-point harness, securing the injured to a padded carrier. The rescuer then lays on top of him, roles over and stands up. This makes picking up the injured party much less difficult as well.
“Anyone who’s ever carried or been carried in a fireman’s carry knows it’s incredibly uncomfortable and inefficient,” Lt Col (Ret) Dr Eric Setton, former Head of Medevac for the Israeli Air Force’s elite SAR unit, said in a press statement. “The IPC gives you full manoeuvrability, keeping the injured person securely on your back and gives you full use of both your arms and legs.”
It weighs 350g and is only 10 inches long when folded, so it takes up very little space or weight in a soldier’s pack, a hiker’s pack or a home emergency kit. The IPC retails for $US80 at the Agilite website. [Agilite via Gizmag]