7. First Aid and Emergency Preparedness

Transport an injured person

7b.
By yourself and with a partner, show how to:
  • Transport a person from a smoke-filled room
  • Transport for at least 25 yards a person with a sprained ankle.

Both of these situations require you to show how to move an injured person — not describe it — and each has a “by yourself” version and a “with a partner” version, so plan to demonstrate both.

Show how to transport a person from a smoke-filled room

By yourself, use the clothes drag or blanket drag: grab the person’s clothing at the shoulders or collar, or bundle it around their upper body, and pull them backward while staying low yourself, supporting their head as you go.

With a partner, use a two-person carry — one person under each arm, or one at the shoulders and one at the legs — to move faster while both of you stay low.

Solo clothes-drag technique and two-person carry, both with rescuers crouched low to the floor in a smoke-filled room

Show how to transport a person with a sprained ankle for at least 25 yards

By yourself, use a human crutch: support the person’s weight under one arm with your shoulder, letting them hop or step on their good leg while you take the weight off the injured ankle.

With a partner, form a two-person assist by positioning one helper on each side of the injured person, each supporting an arm over their shoulders, so the person barely has to put weight on the injured ankle at all.

Human-crutch technique and two-person assist for moving a person with a sprained ankle

Both transports depend on communication — tell the injured person what you’re doing before you move them, and check in as you go. A surprised or tense patient is harder to move safely than one who knows what’s coming.