Gear of the week | The rescue blanket

The material was invented by NASA in the early sixties of the last century for space missions. Rescue blankets are now an integral part of every first aid kit and at just 60 grams are real universal talents.

The rescue blanket is essentially a very thin, tear-resistant, transparent and waterproof polyester film coated with a metallic reflective agent (aluminium). This allows up to 97 per cent of the radiated heat to be reflected, which is essential for targeted heat retention. As a professional rescue in the mountains takes considerably longer than a road-based rescue service in the city, the correct use of the rescue blanket should be a core competence of every sportsperson.

The various mountain rescue services in the Alps have long since recognised the wide range of applications for the rescue blanket. We want to present this here in a small and brief, but not exhaustive overview as well:

Effective heat retention plays a particularly important role when it comes to the risks of outdoor sports. In many cases, heat retention is of great importance - not least because of the "comfort aspect", as a freezing person needs more oxygen and blood clotting, for example, works less well in the cold. The rescue blanket protects against heat loss, on the one hand because heat transfer (thermal convection) and evaporation cooling (evaporation) are reduced and on the other hand because the heat radiation emitted by the body is reflected back.

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The different application methods can be practiced quickly at home

Max Elias

The easiest and quickest way to use the rescue blanket for heat preservation is as the name suggests, namely simply as a blanket. If you want to go the extra mile, it is advisable not to wear the film directly on the body but over the innermost layer of clothing when using it as protection against the cold.

If possible the rescue blanket should not simply be laid on top, as there is a high risk that the blanket will simply fly away or become tattered, especially in windy weather. A variation that also allows you to remain mobile is to use the rescue blanket as a body nappy. The rescue blanket is pulled under the top layer of clothing on the back. The upper part of the rescue blanket can be used as a hood or pulled completely over the face. In the latter case, it is important to leave an opening for breathing and to remember that although you can still see under the blanket, you can hardly hear anything due to the extremely loud rustling! The lower end of the rescue blanket is pulled forward through the legs and tucked into the waistband, turning it into an optical nappy.

However, heat preservation is also possible in the Pro version, in the form of the Hibler heat pack. As significantly more material is required here, this is usually only possible in the vicinity of huts or other basic infrastructure and is not explained further here.

If pelvic injuries are suspected or if the mechanism of the accident is unclear and pelvic involvement is suspected, bleeding into the pelvis must be expected. This can result in life-threatening blood loss within a short period of time. A pelvic sling reduces the risk of such haemorrhage. As such a pelvic sling is not really part of the standard equipment, initial treatment can be provided using a rescue blanket. However, these makeshift splints can only achieve sufficient stabilisation to a limited extent. In the case of the makeshift pelvic sling with a rescue blanket, compression is achieved by twisting in the rescue blanket. It must then be fixed in place to prevent it from opening on its own.

Also suitable for transporting people

Bergrettung Tirol

The rescue blanket is also helpful for transporting injured persons over short distances, as the rescue blanket can hold up to 480 kilograms. However, this requires at least 4 people to carry the person to be rescued out of the danger zone or to the nearest possible rescue point.

Other possibilities include the use as glacier goggles, as a rain poncho, i.e. a tent underlay, and so on.

It's amazing how multifunctional and yet simple the rescue blanket is. Thanks to the extremely favourable price, you can easily afford a second rescue blanket and don't have to wait until next year to get one from Father Christmas.

Let professionals show you more complex applications of the rescue blanket, for example on a special outdoor first aid course! This article is not intended as a guide, but should only briefly and superficially demonstrate some possibilities and encourage further study of the subject matter.

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Gear of the week | The rescue blanket

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