Super-Hero Provided Patient Transportation during the Metropolis New Years Eve Disaster, A Case Study

January 16th, 2007

Filed under: Comics, Medicine

two person arm carrytwo-man carrypack-strap carryfireman's carrytwo person carry by arms and legs

Certain first aid courses, particularly those in the military and the scouts, teach the use of emergency patient transportation such as the “fireman’s carry.” These are quick and dirty maneuvers designed to get the patient out of harm’s way as quickly as possible. As the images show, these don’t provide the patient with any protection and little support and are best for the minimally injured patient. They shouldn’t be used for long term transport. They are ideal for the life or death situation — such as a fire or explosion — where the patient needs to be moved quickly or they will die.

From left to right, the images above show the “Two Person Arm Carry,” the “One Person Arm Carry,” the “Pack-Strap Carry,” the “Fireman’s Carry” (also a noted pro-wrestling move), and the “Two Person Carry by Arms and Legs.” These images were borrowed from the 2001 edition of the US Navy Operational Medicine Course.

So let’s see how our DC super-heroes managed during the freefall that was New Year’s Eve in Metropolis:

Captain Marvel Jr First up is Captain Marvel Jr. He seems to be using a modified version of the One Person Arm Carry. As you see, it provides no spinal protection, so we’ll just have to assume that Freddy used the Wisdom of Solomon to make sure she didn’t have a spinal injury before he picked her up.

I do wonder where the girl’s left arm is. I suspect that’s it draped across her chest, just miscolored.
Hawkgirl Hawkgirl is not doing nearly as good a job as Captain Marvel Jr. Her patient, though a snappy dresser, looks like he’s in pain — and I don’t think it’s just from his wound — that just doesn’t look comfortable. And that doesn’t look like it would be comfortable for her either to fly a long distance. We’ll call it the “Hawkgirl One Arm Two Wing Carry”

Again, she is providing no spinal support, which is dangerous. Most of these victims suffered impact injuries, either falling from a great height, or being hit by something falling, so spinal injuries are a real possibility.
Powergirl Power Girl’s technique is definitely not recommended. She’s the worst of any of the heroes. We’ll just call it the “Power Girl Choke-Hold Carry” and leave it at that.
All images are from the center two-page spread of 52 #35. Breakdowns by Giffen. Pencils by Jimenez and Jurgens

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12 Responses to “ Super-Hero Provided Patient Transportation during the Metropolis New Years Eve Disaster, A Case Study ”

  1. TayJK
    January 17th, 2007 at 1:49 am

    Now I want to go back to some of my older comics and check out how well other heroes do these techniques. ‘Life or death situations – such as fire or explosions’ are an everyday occurance in comics, so there’s bound to be many examples.

  2. Keith
    January 17th, 2007 at 7:39 am

    The ridiculous proportions of comic women’s upper bodies must make it almost impossible for them to carry anything…

  3. David Oakes
    January 17th, 2007 at 9:19 am

    I think that Power Girl’s guy is in less pain than Hawkgirl’s. And not just because he is unconscious…

    But until we find the woman’s other hand, I think the clear winner is Capt. Marvel, Jr.

    (On a serious-within-the-context-of-flying-people note, *are* there any one person carries that provide any back support? Or even two person, if you don’t have a back board? I think that PG shows us there is still room for improvement, but as lone vigilantes operating under the most dire of circumstances, can they do much better?)

    (”This looks like a job for… Ambu-Man!!!”)

  4. Scott
    January 17th, 2007 at 9:34 am
    Official Comment

    There really are no good safe fast carries that provide spine support (without a handy backboard, at least). That’s why they’re only supposed to be used as a last resort and then only for the shortest distance necessary.
    Flying someone to the hospital is really stretching that definition.

    I imagine that there’d be some medical-legal issues involved as well. Sure, ambulances may be slower, but they’re equipped to deal with medical emergencies. If his patient stops breathing or goes into cardiac arrest, what’s Captain Marvel Jr. going to do?

  5. DrObviousSo
    January 17th, 2007 at 9:37 am

    You’re right. We practiced all of those in Boy Scouts.

  6. DrObviousSo
    January 17th, 2007 at 9:38 am

    f his patient stops breathing or goes into cardiac arrest, what’s Captain Marvel Jr. going to do?
    Probably call down lightning and restart his heart :D

  7. DrObviousSo
    January 17th, 2007 at 9:39 am

    Not that that would actually work (sorry for the triple post)

  8. Evan Waters
    January 18th, 2007 at 1:36 am

    Reminds me of a quip in the MST3k episode “Pod People”- after a group of people find their friend, who has fallen off a small cliff, and try to carry her back to their RV- “Yeah, that’s right, move her spine around as much as possible.”

  9. Seth Finkelstein
    January 18th, 2007 at 9:16 am

    ” If his patient stops breathing or goes into cardiac arrest, what’s Captain Marvel Jr. going to do?”

    I’d hope the Wisdom Of Solomon gave best answer. Maybe not at the level of “the injuries are …”, but certainly at the level of “Do CPR” vs. “Fly *fast* to the hospital” vs “A goner, nothing you can do, help someone else”.

  10. S A Rudy
    January 20th, 2007 at 11:59 am

    You should find shots of Green Lantern. I’ve seen him supply a backboard, at least.

  11. Reis
    January 25th, 2007 at 11:39 am

    Where is Hawkgirl’s other hand there? Is she carrying that guy by the waistband? Or has she grabbed a handful of ass to carry him to safety?

    On the subject of spines, Captain Marvel Jr looks like he needs a chiropractor. No-one should bend like that.

  12. Harvey
    March 17th, 2008 at 5:52 pm

    Scott makes an excellent point in the comments section. These superheroes should carry ambulances to the victims.

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