Objects Database

Paraguard stretcher

Accession Number

950.2011.1(a-b)

Object Name

Paraguard stretcher

Created

29/11/2011

Creator

Hermione Cooper

Accession Date

29/11/2011

Brief Description

Folding stretcher in grey zipped holdall. Stretcher has four green folding legs, 4 metal tubes holding a nylon covered base and canvas straps with metal buckles.A canvas pillow and a zipped bag are attached underneath.

Materials

nylon, metal, canvas

Dimensions

190(l) x 30(w) cms when opened out

Number Of Objects

Inscription Description

On bag orange label with "G.Q. INDUSTRIAL PARAGUARD STRETCHER DESIGNED AND MANUFACTURED BY G.Q. PARACHUTE CO. LTD. WOKING, SURREY, ENGLAND PATENT PENDING"

Colour

grey, orange

Maker

G.Q. Parachute Co. Ltd.

Object Production Place

Woking, Surrey, England

Provenance

Though not strictly a mountain rescue stretcher, the Paraguard does get used from time to time in the mountains and being designed to extract casualties from restricted spaces - the cave rescue teams have used them a lot in the past. We are fairly sure that the Paraguard was a refined and updated version of the Neil Robertson stretcher which you will find elsewhere in our collection. Unfortunately, we haven't been able to check this out as the original manufacturers 'GQ Parachute Company' ceased to exist in 1963 having been acquired by the RFD Group. This would seem to date our stretcher, which sports the GQ Parachute Co. name, as pre 1963. Though having had several makeovers in its life, the Paraguard is still available in 2011 as a popular and very successful casualty handling device for industry, fire departments and medical teams worldwide. The one we have in our collection came from Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team.