From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A pair of United States Army soldiers demonstrating a two-shoulder fireman's carry

A fireman's carry is a technique that allows a person to carry another person without assistance. It is generally referred to as the "fireman's carry" because it used to be a common way for firefighters to carry injured or unconscious people away from danger. Currently, due to lifting a person in a toxic atmosphere to the point where their airway is exposed to high heat and toxins from smoke (temps at 6 feet from the floor can be several hundred degrees F) in which one breath can be fatal. The now preferred technique is to drag the person by the shoulders or upper clothing in a supine position across the floor or ground, while utilizing the rescuers upper legs (the strongest muscles in the body) for the 'push' against the floor for leverage in order to pull the person toward you, say towards a door or window. This technique also offers itself to be effective to those rescuers who may be younger or of smaller size or stature. Due to increases in firefighting / rescue abilities the actual fireman's carry is not only essentialy outdated in the fire service, it can in some instances be more than harmful in actual fire conditions.

However, the fireman's carry technique of carrying another human being can be used in other circumstances; soldiers have been known to use this technique to carry wounded comrades, Lifeguards are sometimes trained to use the fireman's carry, and the "fireman's carry takedown" is also a popular professional wrestling throw.

The proper technique of the fireman's carry requires carrying the subject over both shoulders. To perform the fireman's carry, the carrier would grasp the subject's wrist and put the subject's arm across one of his shoulders. Then, the carrier would reach between the subject's legs, passing his arm between the subject's legs and then grasping behind the subject's thigh. To avoid back injuries, it is important for the carrier to lift the subject using the strength of his legs. The carrier would have hold of the wrist of the subject and his other arm would be holding onto one of the legs of the subject. The subject would have one arm and one leg hanging freely behind the carrier's back.

Carrying someone in this manner has several advantages. The subject's torso is fairly level, which helps prevent further injuries. When the subject's weight is evenly distributed over both shoulders, it is easier to carry them for a longer distance (50 feet or more).

Although some consider the act of carrying another person over one shoulder a fireman's carry, technically it is not. In informal settings, carrying another person over one shoulder is sometimes used to transport someone who is too intoxicated to walk. However, if someone is seriously hurt, or if the person has to be carried for a considerable amount of time, the fireman's carry is preferred over the single-shoulder carry for obvious reasons. A person being carried over one shoulder would experience more jarring as her body is dangling more freely over the carrier's shoulder. Also, blood would be unevenly distributed if someone was dangling upside-down over the carrier's shoulder for an extended period of time. And this could be a very uncomfortable position for the carried person if she is still conscious.

Outside of the military, the fireman's carry and the single-shoulder carry are often used when the carried individual is a man or a teenage boy. Men usually carry women and children in their arms because they are generally lighter than adult men or adolescent boys. If a man is in a situation in which he has to carry another man, he usually chooses to use the fireman's carry or the single-shoulder carry, relying on the strength of his shoulders, back, and legs to transport the man instead of relying on the strength of his arms.