Known throughout the mountain rescue world as the Cas Bag, casualty bags are basically a large sleeping bag designed to keep an injured person warm & cosy, the most basic requirement of any mountain rescue. Animal skins and blankets were the early versions before progress was made onto modern fibres like the Flectalon version we have here in the collection. Down, as in Eiderdown, would be ideal from a warmth point of view, but performs badly in the wet, hence the use of man made fibres.

Cas Bags usually came with a waterproof outer and ideally open out so a casualty can be placed inside and the bag wrapped over them. Some, as with this one, have carrying handles so they can be used independently as a soft stretcher.

This one once belonged to Lochaber MRT and was kept in the CIC Hut on Ben Nevis for many years for emergencies before taking retirement.