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several people can grab it and maneuver it to a safe and level place. When a person has a possible neck or spine injury, an additional piece of gear is used to make them safe to transport. “Any time there is a neck or mid-back injury, you need to keep that from moving,” said Rich Davis. “The best way is on a flat board with a collar around their neck to limit the movements of their head. The board is great for extrication . We use it to help people who can’t walk. We can use it in places we can’t get the gurney into.” Staying Safe Paramedics often have to go into hazard- ous situations, such as fires or collapsed buildings or even crime scenes. They carry safety gear for themselves for such situations. They might wear firefighter helmets, heavy rubber boots, and other protective gear to a fire, for example. Some para- medics are also trained as firefighters, so they will “gear up” in a complete fire-safety outfit before

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