How to Do a Fireman’s Carry the Right Way

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Keep yourself and others safe in emergencies with this guide
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The Fireman's Carry technique used to be a common way for firefighters to carry someone from danger, but they no longer use it because it exposes the victim's airway to smoke. However, this method is still used by soldiers and lifeguards because it allows the rescuer to carry the victim for some distance relatively quickly, with less discomfort and risk of further injury than other carrying positions. In this article, we explain how to pull off the fireman’s carry safely, plus share the pros and cons of this hold to help you decide if it’s the best option in your situation.

How do you do a fireman hold?

  1. Roll the victim on their stomach and hook your elbows under their armpits.
  2. Raise them to their feet and put your dominant leg between their legs.
  3. Grab their opposite hand with your non-dominant hand.
  4. Drape their arm over your shoulder and plant your head in their armpit.
  5. Squat with a straight back and put their body over your shoulders.
  6. Evenly distribute their weight and wrap your dominant arm around their knee.
  7. Grip their knee and arm as you rise and lift them.
Section 1 of 2:

Performing a Fireman’s Carry

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  1. Make sure there's no chance of spinal injury before moving the victim . If a traumatic accident has taken place and you think the victim has injured their spine, do not move them unless it's absolutely necessary to evade an urgent danger, such as a flood. [1]
    • If you absolutely need to move a victim who might have injured their spine, then you'll need to drag them instead of carrying them over your shoulder to minimize the chances of spinal damage.
  2. If the victim is on their back, roll them over on their stomach so they’re easier to lift. To do so, place one arm on the victim's shoulder and one arm on the same side of their body, then push or pull them onto their stomach. [2]
    • If there is time and the person is not breathing, you may need to perform CPR .
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  3. Kneel by the victim's head and hook your elbows under their shoulders, effectively sticking your arms under the person's back and armpits. Face your head toward the victim's feet and plant your feet on the ground so you can stand easily. [3]
  4. Lift slowly, using your legs to support the person's weight. Avoid using the strength of your back to lift them, or you may injure yourself. Raise them until their feet are just a foot or so away from being straightened into standing position and are still dragging on the ground a bit.
  5. This will help you get a firmer grip on the victim. Move your weight to your right or dominant leg and stick it between the victim's legs for support. If your dominant leg is your left leg, use your left leg instead and follow the opposite of all of the positioning in the instructions.
  6. Begin to do this as you place your right leg between the victim's legs. If your dominant leg is your right leg, then grab the victim's right hand with your left hand; if not, do the opposite. After you do that, drape their hand over your shoulder so you have more leverage, with your head planted under their armpit and side. [4]
  7. Keep your back as straight as possible when you do this. Place the victim's body over your shoulders, so that their torso is relatively perpendicular to the ground. Try to distribute their weight as evenly as you can over your shoulders so that they don't tilt to one side. [5]
  8. To do this, put your right arm between the victim's legs to reach behind their right knee. This will help you get a firmer grasp on the victim. Your left hand should still be holding on to the victim's right hand. Grip the victim with both hands on their knee and arm so it’s easier to lift them. [6]
  9. Keep your back straight. The left leg and arm of the person should be hanging behind and the body should be supported by your shoulders. Hold onto the victim's right arm and leg with your right and left hands, respectively, as you stand up. Now that you have the victim draped safely over your back, look forward and move cautiously, using your free arm for balance. [7]
    • To do this, you'll need to adjust your weight. Gently adjust the weight to distribute evenly among both shoulders; this will enable you to carry the person for longer distances, possibly 50 feet (15 m) or more.
    • Alternatively, use your right arm to wrap around the victim's thighs and grab their right hand.
    • Try to keep the victim's torso level to prevent further injury.
    • This method is also useful for pulling off a fireman’s carry on the wrestling mat . Just be sure to make sure you take precautions so you don’t seriously injure your opponent.
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Section 2 of 2:

Pros & Cons of the Fireman’s Carry

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  1. 1
    The Fireman’s Carry can move people quickly in an emergency situation. The fireman’s carry allows you to move heavy weight using the strength of your back and shoulders, making it useful for moving people during emergency situations when they are unable to move themselves, like an accident at the pool, in military combat, or on the sports field. [8]
    • The fireman’s carry is preferred over a single-shoulder carry in emergencies since the weight is distributed more evenly, the person’s body is more level, and their blood is distributed evenly.
  2. 2
    But, it increases the risk of smoke inhalation or spinal injury. If the person is suspected of having a spinal injury, fireman’s carries can lead to increased risk of injury and should be avoided unless absolutely necessary. The same goes for situations where there’s a lot of fire and smoke, as smoke and heat rise and can cause smoke inhalation, which is dangerous for the victim. [9]
    • Dragging someone by their shoulders is the modern and preferred method for moving someone who can’t move themselves during an emergency.
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References

  1. ↑ https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcfrs-psta/Resources/Files/EMTMod1/ch03_Lifting_and_moving.pdf
  2. ↑ https://www.artofmanliness.com/skills/manly-know-how/how-to-perform-the-firemans-carry/
  3. ↑ https://www.artofmanliness.com/skills/manly-know-how/how-to-perform-the-firemans-carry/
  4. ↑ https://youtu.be/pa3zAFkBbDA?t=15
  5. ↑ https://youtu.be/pa3zAFkBbDA?t=18
  6. ↑ https://www.artofmanliness.com/skills/manly-know-how/how-to-perform-the-firemans-carry/
  7. ↑ https://youtu.be/jIFIzBMM__k?t=93
  8. ↑ https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/Fireman's_carry
  9. ↑ https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/Fireman's_carry
  1. ↑ https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcfrs-psta/Resources/Files/EMTMod1/ch03_Lifting_and_moving.pdf

Community Q&A

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  • Question
    What if I'm not that strong?
    Community Answer
    If you're not strong enough, drag the person on the floor if it's tiled. His clothes will let him slide. If you can find someone who's stronger, then ask for help. Typically humans can carry another human of the same weight in an emergency because the hormone adrenaline is released as a survival mechanism. Adrenaline has even enabled toddlers to lift dressers off of themselves when they have fallen.
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    Not Helpful 7 Helpful 39
  • Question
    How do I execute a fireman's carry while going up or down steps?
    Community Answer
    Carefully. The important thing to remember is that if you trip, it's over. If the stairs are wide enough to not hit the carried's head or feet, move normally, but rather than holding their arm in one hand and leg in the other, use the hand holding the leg to grab the person's hand (so with them over your shoulder, you should have your right hand under their leg and holding their right hand over the hip) and the now free hand to hold a rail. If that isn't possible, go EXTREMELY slowly down the steps sideways or switch to a different carry.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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  • Question
    How do I perform CPR while doing a fireman's carry?
    Community Answer
    Don't try that. Perform CPR only when the person is lying down.
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      Tips

      • This carry depends on using the strength in your shoulders, legs, and back. If the person you're carrying is light enough, you can carry them more easily in your arms.
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      • If needed to keep one hand free, hook your elbow around the victim's knee and grasp the victim's wrist with the same hand. This method will also make running much easier, since it's easier to keep your balance with one hand free.
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      • When lifting the person, make sure to pull their torso above your shoulders and keep your back straight. Do not bend your back to the side to get underneath the person. Adding weight to the back while it is bent to the side can cause injury.
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      Warnings

      • Do not use this carry on someone who may have a spinal injury, unless absolutely necessary. If at all possible, do not move the victim . See How to Treat a Spinal Injury Victim. [10]
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      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To do a fireman's carry, start by rolling the person you want to carry onto their stomach. Then, kneel down in front of their head, and hook your elbows under their armpits. Next, lift the person up to their feet using your arms, and place your right leg in between their legs. From there, take their right hand with your left hand, squat down, and wrap your right arm around the back of their right knee. Finally, stand up, and lift the person's right thigh over your shoulder. To learn how to check the person for spinal injuries before attempting to carry them, read on!

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