To buy a stretcher and keep it at home in case of emergency?

[Summersoon8]

I had the thought of doing this and then a few days later I read the story of an elderly man with a broken hip with no ambulances available (not even given a long wait time, just told none available at all) and his family took him to hospital strapped to a plank of wood in the back of a van.

AIBU to consider buying some sort of emergency/folding stretcher online and storing it at home in case we're ever in the same sort of situation?

Is there any reason to think that anyone in your family would be particularly likely to suffer an accident like that? Are you normally prone to catastrophising?

I mean, you could buy a defib as well, but that doesn't mean it's a proportionate thing to do.

I think unless there's a particular reason that you might require a stretcher more than most then it's a bit extreme...

I think ambulance crews are trained to move people with potentially serious injuries and I would not like to try to do that myself and risk making things worse. What would you put the stretcher in to transport the person? Do you have a van?

Why not build an operating theatre?

I'm all in favour of prepping but why that specifically?

I probably wouldn't, because you may well not be able to get the injured person onto it, while making the injury worse by trying.

But it is a frightening situation, so if it will make you feel a bit more prepared why not?

And then what, walk them all the way to a&e?

If you have the cash and storage space then it's up to you!

If not, and there's no reason to think you might need one, save the money.

You could always take an internal door off its hinges quite quickly if you really needed a board.

Unless there's a reason you think a stretcher is likely to be necessary for you, I don't see why you would. There's plenty of medical equipment that's useful if you need it but the likelihood of needing it is pretty low. What about a wheelchair or a defibrillator or an epipen or...

I think you need to balance three factors - the space it takes up, the amount it costs and the likelihood of needing it. On the balance of those factors, is it worth it to you to have it? If so, get it. If not, don't.

Or are you just looking for a crash site to car, solution?

The point is that ambulances aren't getting to people on time. All their training doesn't help anyone if they aren't there.

Have you got an appropriate vehicle?

Are you also going to buy a vehicle large enough transport it?

Seems a bit daft.

I completely understand the OP's point. My point is that unless you are fully trained in how to safely move an injured person, you could make things worse - even taking into account the delay in ambulances. Also my point was that unless you have a large enough vehicle to then place the person in there isn't much point in the stretcher.

One of the reasons why people in poorer countries die a lot more from routine falls is improper stretchering. My nan fell in India, fractured her hip and could have been mobile within months. Instead of waiting for the private ambulance that had been called her neighbour, a heart surgeon with his own ambulance and stretcher (but no skills in emergency medicine), told a few local lads to put her onto a stretcher. She fell off, fractured her hip and her back, and spent the last 5 years of her life living with excruiating pain.

You do need to know how to move someone

Then is it van or walk to hospital?

Paracetamols and plasters are all I have and I'm properly not well.

Run, surely?

And if you leave them there and wait for the ambulance then they could die. No one is suggesting it's an ideal situation but it's, unfortunately, become necessary to take those risks now. Far more people have vans than have stretchers and they can be hired with an hour's notice if needed or you could find a good samaritan on any local Facebook page within half an hour in a genuine emergency. Of course moving someone is risky but sometimes it's less risky than leaving them - and it's safer with an actual stretcher than with a makeshift stretcher.

It’s difficult isn’t it. My father died last autumn following a “long lie” fall (not ambulance related). My mother recently needed an ambulance and while we were queueing at the hospital for hours I had a chat with the paramedics about it. She said she’d originally have said never move someone, but nowadays they’re finding people with more complications because they’ve been on the floor in an awkward position for hours. So she said unless it’s life threatening she’d be tempted to move them in current circumstances.

Looks like you can buy a stretcher with wheels attached to the base (movers trolley like) for under £200. Some how to videos for moving and handling or you can pay for a first aid course for simple skills or do an advanced course.

I mean, you could buy a defib as well, but that doesn't mean it's a proportionate thing to do.

Funnily enough I live around the corner from a parade of shops, one of which has just put in a defibrillator in case of emergencies. I was glad on of my neighbours pointed it out to me.

You shouldn’t be moving people unless you know what you’re doing. You could cause more harm than good. My mum fell recently and I can’t see how a stretcher at home would have helped her as I couldn’t/shouldn’t move her, it’s for the experts. There are even specially trained lifting people with the right equipment.

I don’t recommend this unless you have and know, or have someone around with knowledge of a) how to move unwell/injured people, b) the correct stretcher / board for the situation (and associated straps/equipment), c) the correct securing/strapping techniques and d) the correct moving and handling techniques when using said stretchers.

We have a variety of ‘stretchers’ that we use alongside other equipment depending on the situation.

I’m not sure you’ve really thought this idea through tbh.

You also need a minimum of 2 people to use the basic stretchers; more if there are complications/certain injuries.

Do you have a van?
Could you take a first aid course?
I really don't think you should move someone who's fallen, bit only can you move the bones, exacerbate any spinal injury, you can also nick an artery with a broken bone. You don't have the proper training to move someone.