TASK Stretcher

[sherppa]

Last month, I went to Costa Rica to do some vertical training and we were working with a new (new for me) stretcher. The guy who manufacture it (Brazilian) says that he took the best of Nest and the best of Sked, then released this one (CE certified), named TASK stretcher.
A good feature is that It has an inbuilt harness, but due to the head and foot design, when hauling in slopes (and lowering in slopes aswell), allows all the rocks, branches and stuff go to the victim. Any one had tried it?:

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x238 ... /cr584.jpg
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x238 ... uip104.jpg

[NZcaver]

Interesting - haven't seen that one before. Looks like a SKED which has been modified with wider straps and a built-in full body harness.

Thanks for the info and photos.

[chh]

Huh, built in harness is cool. Rocks and crap building up around the head and shoulders is not so cool though. I wonder why the manufacturer decided to whittle down the top like that? I'd like to see the underside as well. If the built in harness passes on the outside of the TASK wouldn't that introduce certain points with a lot more abrasion? A shorter life span of unit might be worth the ability to just roll a person into the TASK and clip them in and get going though. I imagine that would save some time.

[sherppa]

Huh, built in harness is cool. Rocks and crap building up around the head and shoulders is not so cool though. I wonder why the manufacturer decided to whittle down the top like that? I'd like to see the underside as well. If the built in harness passes on the outside of the TASK wouldn't that introduce certain points with a lot more abrasion? A shorter life span of unit might be worth the ability to just roll a person into the TASK and clip them in and get going though. I imagine that would save some time.

Yes, I think this stretcher is another good option because the inbuilt harness, but only for high angle environments, not for working in slopes. Here another views of the stretcher:
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x238 ... /cr574.jpg
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x238 ... /10384.jpg
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x238 ... /cr152.jpg
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x238 ... /cr215.jpg
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x238 ... /cr404.jpg

[Stridergdm]

Hmm, my initial take-away from photos is 'interesting idea' but I see the same problems other have mentioned. You've created a funnel to collect stuff which will get under the patient and will be very uncomfortable and you've created wear points on the outside.

Also, I'm not sure it solves the issue of needing an OSS to work with it.

Good idea, but not quite there.

[NZcaver]

After seeing more photos, I have to agree with the "not quite there" comment.

It seems to me the TASK doesn't really have a niche to fit. Except perhaps a "clean" and smooth confined space (if there is such a thing), or maybe a water rescue? The funnel effect and potential abrasion points on the bottom make it not so practical in the cave environment, and in open vertical drops why would you use a flexible litter rather than a standard rigid one? The latter is easier to handle/position, and easier to rig to. It's just a little larger/bulkier to handle when it's empty.

I wonder if there's a shoulder board and/or some similar form of lateral rigidity in there? I imagine there is, otherwise the patient would have a very uncomfortable experience. Even so, you'd still need an OSS or spine board if the patient required spinal stabilization.

But hey, experimentation is good. Otherwise we wouldn't have a SKED or any other weird and wonderful contraptions. Many years ago, Aspiring Enterprises in New Zealand came up with something similar (which pre-dates the Petzl Nest). This was the "Rescue-wrap" which is unfortunately no longer produced. Haven't used one personally, but here's a couple of photos that Google pulled up.


(Source NSW Cave Rescue Squad)

Since I'm off-topic anyway I thought I'd mention that some cave rescue folks north of the border (ie British Columbia, Canada) have a dislike for flexible litters like SKEDs. They tend to prefer the Cascade 200 lightweight 2-piece rigid litter, which they swear will go anywhere a SKED will. It's a nice smooth ride for both patient and rescuers, if you can afford the price tag (almost double a SKED or rigid Ferno Washington).

[sherppa]

I agree with your comments. As the training scene was just slopes (and a little 9m vertical), there were many concerns about all the stuff building up in head, shoulders and back of the patient. So many times, the TASK was stuck by rocks and branches, so we needed to put aTASK attendant to solve this difficulties. By the way, the people who were "patients" said that it is was not uncomfortable. There is no shoulder board or lateral rigidity, it is just like Sked, flexible, so in a trauma patient, you need an OSS, bacause you cant use a spinal board (there is only 3mm of material protecting the patient).
I hope to have the opportunity to try it in a confined space scene (we don´t use stretchers in confined space tho) to see how it works. If you want to see more details about the TASK STR, take a look at: http://www.taskcollege.com.br
The TSA was a good stretcher for cave rescue too. Petzl bought it and develop the Nest, my prefer one for cave rescue.