I’m a bit nervous about this story because I am sure that I am going to get several letters of complaint from people saying that I should know better. The question is, “How do you get someone out of the bath without a hoist in an emergency?”

Let me say right at the beginning, I am not suggesting this is the only way possible or even a recommended way. Let’s just imagine that you have no other equipment. Obviously, these are.... Oh never mind... Shoot me if you want too....!

This was described on the JEMS website as the Montana Roll. Drain the tub completely before refilling it with fresh, warm water to help you rewarm the patient which will help with IV administration.

Meanwhile, lay a bulky blanket on the floor and fold it into a triangle. (It’s OK if the apex of the triangle has two points instead of one; most blankets aren’t perfectly square.) Now, roll it into a snake. You can use a few pieces of tape, if you like, to keep it together and tight.

The thickest part of this roll will be in the middle. You’re going to use that thick part to stabilize the C-spine. Approaching from behind, place the middle of the roll behind the patient’s neck and bring it forward on both sides. Cross it snugly in front of the neck and route the two "tails" beneath the armpits on both sides. These will be your two "handles." Instruct the patient to give himself a hug. If the patient is not conscious, his arms are likely to fling above his head when you try to lift. Also, hope your patient doesn’t have cervical problems or a shoulder weakness.

There is another solution of course and that is to use a Mangar ELK. You would still have the issues around fitting it but with little skill and a slide sheet, it can be done. One word of caution here though, the ELK could potentially break the bath due to the pressure it exerts. For this reason, Mangar don’t recommend using the ELK for this purpose. However, I do know that certain ambulance services have used it in this manner. Mangar do a specialised inflatable bathing cushion for individuals who have difficulty getting in and out of the bath.

http://www.jems.com/news_and_articles/articles/jems/3407/hand les_for_people.html

Mangars’ inflatable bathing cushion

The Montana Roll. Controversial techniques sometimes are your only option