According to Clallam 2 Fire and Rescue, things just got a little safer for hikers, cyclists, and other back-country trailblazers because of a set of new rescue stretchers they’ve obtained through a grant.
The specialized stretchers, used for getting injured people out of rough terrain, are made of a high-density flexible plastic. They’re designed to protect the patient while being carried, dragged, and even hoisted into a helicopter. And they can be rolled up and carried in a backpack, weighing only 17 pounds.
It’s all thanks to a grant from the Clallam County Physician’s Benefit Fund, which provides funding for medically related community grants.
The fire district identified the need for these stretchers after reviewing their 911 responses in 2017, where they responded to almost 1,600 calls for service. Of these, 30% were “stacked calls”. This means that while responding to one call, a second call for help is received 30% of the time.