Electric stretchers???

[Just Plain Ruff]

So the question then is how does one convince an employer to put out the considerably more expense for one especially when they have a fleet of working stretchers already.

I don't know of a single service in the entire province of Ontario who uses them.

I can think of one reason - paying the medical bills of a employee who had a significant back injury lifting the non-electric cots could pay for several of these cots.

But to refit for every stretcher I can see the financial pitfalls though.

Our service has 3 ambulances each with the power cot. It was a easy choice but for a service with 10 or 20 or even 40 or 50 ambulances I can see the financial issue.

[Arctickat]

I've put them into my transfer units, the 911 response units still have the old MX-Pro because they are 80 pounds lighter to go up and down stairs with. Given time my staff may decide the convenience is worth the added weight. Recently Saskatchewan EMS services got a grant for "recruitment and retention" Applications could go as high as $70,000.00 Most services applied for and received a grant for the power cots. One health region bought 28 of them.

Edited July 21, 2009 by Arctickat

[radio7]

Would love to hear more about Ferno versus Stryker, instead of power versus manual. Those of you who demo'd both, can you say why you chose one over the other ?

We have one of each on our rigs. Our Ferno is a few years old, we like that it has pull out side handles for two people to assist in lifting without worrying about pinching their fingers. The Stryker we just got and like it because it is smoother going up and down, had a handy little carrying spot under the head to throw supplies, and the support under the head slides under the cot instead of dropping for squeezing through small spaces. Handy when you need to have the head full upright to fit in and then need to lower the cot. The Stryker also has auto shut off so the battery doesn't run dead. A problem we've had when we forget on long transfers or after clean up with the Ferno. Also the Stryker takes a regular DeWalt cordless battery so easy to replace when needed.

Our Ferno came with a Large Body Surface Board to extend the width of the cot which has come in handy more than once. The Ferno has a flat pad while the Stryker is more formed.

As you can see both have plusses and minuses. If Stryker would put side handles on their cot it would almost be perfect though.

J

[nremtp]

We have a no lifting policy over here in the UK and all of our vehicles now have stretchers which do not have to be lifted at all. We have a combination of powered stretchers from Stryker and those with a foot pump from Ferno.

If you don't want to go to the expense of fitting a tail lift ($15,000) to your ambulances, you can go for the cheaper option which is an electric wedge ramp ($5000) or even cheaper still a portaramp ($600) which folds up manually and is hydraulically assisted so it can be operated with one hand. Even taxis over here have them now for wheelchair access so it amazes me that the EMS market doesn't have them!!!

We still have one or two older ambulances with Ferno 35A or Pioneers but everyone refuses to work on them and if the ambulance service tried to make us the Unions would just get involved and argue manual handling regulations, health and safety at work act etc etc

[Quakefire]

I used the Ferno power stretch on my practicum and my current service has a stryker version. Overall the controls on the stryker and the "smoothness" are way above the ferno. I dont know if its just me, but the bare stryker seems heavier than the ferno and I like how the ferno charges when in the unit which the stryker does not, never had a dead streatch with the ferno, the stryker on the other hand... The replaceable battery is great if you have the charged spare with you

[maine_emt]

The service I work for has 16 ambulances with a mix of Ferno 35-A and ProFlex cots all equipped with Fernotracs. The majority of employees including myself prefer the older 35-A stretchers as they are lighter and have been fitted with and E tank, which makes for less frequent tank changes.

The company does have one power ferno cot, but is frequently out of service and has only been used a few times.

[EMT Martin]

We use Strykers on all three of our ambulances, with a charged battery in the cot, a spare in a compartment, and a spare in the station on charge. This enables all ambulances to constantly have a charged battery, one way or the other. They are definate back-savers, as I've used some of the Ferno manual crap in neighbouring jurisdictions and hated them.

As for stair chairs, we've yet to get an electric one. However, in one of the responses I made with a friend's squad on a 911, I got a chance to sample Stryker's version. It's a backsaver as well with the nice treads-instead-of-wheels business.

[Siffaliss]

I don't know of a service in Alberta that uses these things either. There were a couple that trialled the electric stretchers however found them to be more cumbersome than anything, due to the additional weight. Your average Ferno or Stryker weighs anywhere from what, 50 to 70 lbs? Plus your patient, plus the weight of the electronic thingy ... I'd rather just be responsible for my own lifting instead of depending upon a device ...

[Quakefire]

It was probably Regina that bought 28 power stretchers, they have a full no lift policy now. More than 3 stairs....Fire department