Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on March 3, 2011 at 1:47am

I first saw the "SKED" when I attended COBRA training at the Homeland Security training center in Anniston, Alabama. This is a national standard and from what minimal information you provided, this might fit your needs.

http://www.skedstretcher.com/

Best of luck with your search!

CBz

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Courtney Marx on March 3, 2011 at 9:23am

Thanks for the help Mike.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by FETC on March 3, 2011 at 10:23am

I like the SKED, it is great for the right setting. A building fire is not one of them.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on March 3, 2011 at 11:11am

I agree with FETC.

We also have the SKED available with our RIT cache, but it isn't practical for every scenario.

I would suggest doing training in RIT using webbing, DRD (if equipped on turnouts), SCBA drag, different carries and so forth. It really depends upon how the FF is down, what is the best way to egress, what you may have readily available etc. For instance a SKED is useless for a Denver Drill, a ladder may be the best means to remove a FF from a basement window etc.

So yeah, it is fine to have a SKED with a cache, but the better tools are knowledge and training. There are many videos on RIT and different drags, carries, use of ropes, hose, ladders etc to remove FF's, etc that should be trained on and looked at first.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on March 3, 2011 at 12:44pm

I concur... the SKED is more of a non-fire scenario type of tool. Heavy duty plastic on things that are hot... not a good idea and would be ridiculous to consider as an option. If a firefighter has to be moved from inside a structure, then a standardized metal litter (each of our engines carries one of these) would be the tool of choice, not a sheet of folded heavy duty plastic using nylon straps.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Scott Kolich on January 29, 2012 at 4:38am

have any of yall ever heard of using 2 hooks, putting them through the downed firefighters straps under his arms and throw the leg over and do it for both sides, tighten down the straps and carry them out? if you had to do it, im sure it would work better in a real life situation than a fancy plastic SKED. or use a stokes basket

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Marc Hansen on January 29, 2012 at 12:14pm

Not using hooks but the first RIT classes I took we were taught how to make sortof a harness out of webbing: to control the patients arms and legs, and create handhold to make dragging the patient out easier. With the advent of rescue devices built into gear and SCBA harness we havent practiced that an awful lot lately.

SKED is an awesome tool in the right areas but like most it isn't one of my favorites for working near the "red stuff". However that being said I do prefer it over a stokes basket just for ease of manuvering. A sked is easier to bring into a small area with not much visibilty and if I have to drag it out with a patient on it there is a certain amount of bend to it where I can get it around a corner without having to elevate one end. While dragging a firefighter around a corner may leave them with some extra bumps and bruises I would gladly take an alive firefighter being mad at me than having to attend a funeral because we struggled an extra 5 minutes to get a stokes basket out.

We keep all of our RIT supplies prepackaged on a stokes basket (makes it easier for all tools to go with RIT team initially) and some of those do come with a plastic case on the bottom, this could be what your thinking of?

 

• ▶ Reply

▶ Reply to Discussion