The most effective way to carry someone over your shoulder is the fireman’s carry, a technique used by emergency responders to move a person over longer distances. The person drapes across your shoulders with their torso hanging behind you, their legs in front, and your arm wrapped across their legs while gripping their opposite arm. It sounds simple, but the lift itself is the hard part, and doing it wrong is the fastest way to injure your back.
The Fireman’s Carry, Step by Step
Start by facing the person. If they’re standing, have them drape over your right shoulder (or left, whichever feels more natural). Your dominant shoulder typically works best. Duck under their midsection so their stomach rests across your shoulder, letting their upper body hang down your back.
Once they’re draped over your shoulder, wrap your carrying arm (the one on the same side as the shoulder they’re resting on) across the back of their legs. Reach through and grasp their opposite wrist or forearm. This single grip is what locks the whole carry together. Their weight is now distributed across your shoulders, and you’re holding both their legs and one arm with the same hand, leaving your other hand free for balance or opening doors.
Stand up by driving through your legs, not your back. Keep your spine as straight as possible and push upward from your hips and knees. Once you’re upright, adjust the person’s weight so it sits centered across both shoulders rather than pulling you to one side. Walk with short, deliberate steps. The extra weight raises your center of gravity, so sudden turns or quick movements can throw you off balance.
Lifting From the Ground
Getting someone onto your shoulders from the ground is significantly harder than from a standing position. Emergency training materials note that lifting from the ground requires either a very strong rescuer or a second person to help. If the person is conscious, have them sit up first. Kneel beside them, pull one of their arms across your shoulders, and use your legs to stand while guiding their body across your shoulder.
If they’re lying flat and unconscious, the safest approach is to roll them onto their side facing you, then squat down and pull their upper body across your shoulder. Slide your arm between their legs, grip the far wrist, and stand using your legs. The key detail here: keep them as close to your body as possible throughout the lift. Reaching forward to pull someone toward you puts enormous strain on your lower back. The closer they are before you start standing, the safer the lift.
For a person who is uncooperative, significantly heavier than you, or in an awkward position, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons recommends getting help rather than attempting the lift alone.
Protecting Your Back and Knees
Sprains, strains, and muscular pain are the most common injuries associated with carrying heavy loads on the body. Data from the National Fire Protection Association shows that overexertion is the leading cause of injuries among firefighters, and these are professionals who train for this regularly. For someone attempting this without that training, the risks are higher.
Three things reduce your injury risk the most:
- Lift with your legs, not your back. Squat down to get under the person’s weight. Your quadriceps and glutes are far stronger than your spinal muscles and can handle the load.
- Avoid jerking or sudden movements. Smooth, controlled motion throughout the lift and carry prevents the sharp spinal loading that causes disc injuries. Plan the movement before you start.
- Keep the person tight against your body. The farther their weight sits from your center of gravity, the more force your back muscles have to generate. A person draped snugly across your shoulders puts far less strain on your spine than one who’s sliding or hanging loosely.
If you feel your grip slipping or the person shifting, stop walking and re-secure your hold. Trying to adjust while moving is how people lose their footing.
When an Over-the-Shoulder Carry Won’t Work
The fireman’s carry is best for moving someone a moderate distance, like across a room, out of a building, or to a vehicle. It works well because it distributes weight across your shoulder girdle and frees one hand. But it’s not the right choice for every situation.
If the person has a suspected spinal injury, draping them over your shoulder could cause further damage. In that case, keeping them flat on a rigid surface is safer. If the person is conscious and can bear some of their own weight, a simpler approach is to pull their arm across your shoulders and support them at the waist while they walk alongside you. This is far less taxing on your body and works fine for shorter distances.
For someone much heavier than you, a drag may be more realistic than a carry. Gripping under their arms from behind and pulling them along the ground avoids the dangerous moment of standing up with their full weight on your frame. It’s slower but sustainable when a lift simply isn’t possible.
Carrying an Unconscious Person
An unconscious person presents two challenges: they can’t help position themselves, and their body is completely limp. Dead weight feels heavier than it is because a conscious person naturally stabilizes their own torso and limbs. Without that, arms and legs dangle and shift your balance unpredictably.
Before lifting, communicate your plan even if you’re not sure they can hear you. Position their arms close to their chest if possible, which prevents limbs from catching on doorframes or furniture. Once they’re on your shoulder, secure their legs and arm grip firmly before you take your first step. Check that their head isn’t hanging at a sharp angle, which could restrict their airway. Their head should hang naturally down your back, roughly in line with their spine.
Move at a pace you can sustain. Rushing with an unconscious person on your shoulders is when falls happen, and a fall with someone on top of you can injure both of you. If the distance is more than about 50 feet and you’re not conditioned for this kind of load, set them down, rest, and continue rather than pushing to the point of muscle failure.