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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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