A litter is a stretcher or basket designed to be used where there are obstacles to movement or other hazards: for example, in confined spaces, on slopes, in wooded terrain. Typically it is shaped to accommodate an adult in a face up position and it is used in

search and rescue Search and rescue (SAR) is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger. The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, typically determined by the type of terrain the search ...

operations. The person is strapped into the basket, making safe evacuation possible. The person generally is further protected by a cervical collar and sometimes a

long spine board A spinal board, is a patient handling device used primarily in pre-hospital trauma (medicine), trauma care. It is designed to provide rigid support during movement of a person with suspected spinal or limb injuries. They are most commonly used b ...

, so as to immobilize the person and prevent further injury. A litter essentially is a stretcher with sides (or just a raised edge) and a removable head/torso cover. They are most notably remembered from Korea and Vietnam images of United States Air Force Pararescue airmen or more recent Coast Guard video clips of helicopters rescuing injured people from isolated areas. Some will also recall the images from the TV shows '' Emergency!'' and ''

M*A*S*H ''M*A*S*H'' (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital) is an American media franchise consisting of a series of novels, a film, several television series, plays, and other properties, and based on the semi-autobiographical fiction of Richard Hooker. The ...

'' of fixed stretchers on either side of medical evacuation helicopters. One widely used style of litter is the Stokes basket.

Uses

After the person is secured in the litter, the litter may be wheeled, carried by hand, mounted on an

ATV ATV may refer to: Broadcasting * Amateur television *Analog television Television stations and companies * Ràdio i Televisió d'Andorra * ATV (Armenia) * ATV (Aruba), NBC affiliate * ATV (Australian TV station), Melbourne * ATV (Austria) * AT ...

, towed behind skis, snowmobile, or horse, lifted or lowered on high angle ropes, or hoisted by helicopter. Litters are used to rescue victims in confined spaces, such as inside a ship or a cave network. Litters used in

surface water rescue Surface water rescue is defined as the rescue of a person who is afloat on the surface of a body of water. Within Canada, any significant sized body of water, whether in mid-summer or winter, is considered cold water. Although multiple agenci ...

are equipped with floats. Litters used in mountain rescue usually are equipped with a cover or other material to protect the person from falling rocks. Litters used in search and rescue often can be disassembled for easier carrying. Some litters can be mounted on a wheel.

Stokes basket

A Stokes basket, also called a Stokes stretcher or Stokes litter, is a metal wire or plastic litter widely used in

. Its key feature is that it can be disassembled for transport in backpacks or by

pack horse Pack or packs may refer to: Places * Pack, Austria, a municipality in Styria, Austria * Pack, Missouri * Chefornak Airport, Alaska, by ICAO airport code Groups of animals or people * Pack (canine), family structure of wild animals of the b ...

. Originally designed by

Charles F. Stokes Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was " ...

, these baskets have been notorious for spinning under the downdraft from the rotating helicopter blades. Design improvements have included using multiple attachment points, separate hold-down cables, and powered extension hoists to help save more lives. Recently the U.S. Navy has used the Stokes basket to transport patients through narrow corridors and doorways.

History

During the United States Civil War, horse-mounted litters were used to transport wounded soldiers from battlefields. Rear Admiral Charles Francis Stokes, retired Surgeon General of the Navy from 1910 to 1924, devised the Stokes stretcher.

Gallery

Image:Raederbahre-1900.jpg, Litter on wheels, made circa 1900 Image:Lowering rescue basket.jpg, Firefighters lowering a Stokes basket down a hill Image:Akia Abfahrt.jpg, Patient transport sled managed by skiers Image:Gebirgstrage01.jpg, A mountain rescue litter

References

External links