Stretcher collapsed lately?

[Chief1C]

Ferno-Washington Inc. has released a "Notice of Investigation" in response to a number of problems reported by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Office of EMS for the Ferno PROFlexx Model 35-X with serial numbers between 06 002156 and 07 054091 manufactured between January 17, 2006 and August 16, 2007. Massachusetts OEMS has instructed all ambulance services using the stretcher to immediately inspect them for signs of metal fatigue (shavings, bent support arms, cracks, etc,). Ambulance services have been encouraged to remove any stretcher showing signs of metal fatigue from service immediately and to have all Ferno PROFlexx Model 35-X stretchers inspected by a factory authorized representative as soon as possible. The notice does not affect Ferno’s current production line. Additional information, including the Ferno notice, is available on the NASEMSO web site at NASEMSO . Ambulance services that experience an equipment failure are reminded to file a “Medical Devices Report” report with the FDA at FDA Access Data.

[EMTtoCorpsmen]

I saw one of the new self-lifting and lowering stretchers actually drop a patient while lowering it. The thing lowers them down nice and slow and then halfway through- drops them to the ground.

I'd be happy with the standard 30lb old metal frame... so much easier and much more dependable.

[reaper]

Unless the hydraulic line broke, there is no way it would drop on it's own!

[firedoc5]

How nice some of these new fangled stretchers. I'm from the days of the two man lifting stretcher that to be lowered you had a "kick down bar". And the supposed "one man" stretcher where you had the wheels that would go on the deck. You then had a trigger, and if it worked right you just pushed the stretcher in and the wheel carriage would collapse. But 90% of the time you would have to have a second person to lift the wheels off the ground as you pushed. So the one man actually took two people.

Ahhh, those were the days.

Come on, I know there's others out there that know what I'm talking about.

[Lone Star]

How nice some of these new fangled stretchers. I'm from the days of the two man lifting stretcher that to be lowered you had a "kick down bar". And the supposed "one man" stretcher where you had the wheels that would go on the deck. You then had a trigger, and if it worked right you just pushed the stretcher in and the wheel carriage would collapse. But 90% of the time you would have to have a second person to lift the wheels off the ground as you pushed. So the one man actually took two people.

Ahhh, those were the days.

Come on, I know there's others out there that know what I'm talking about.

Are you referring to the ones that had the smaller wheels on the frame of the cot that would roll along the floor of the rig until the carriage wheels were lifted by being pressed against the frame of the truck. At that point you would lower the foot of the cot back down and it was supposed to ride along on the 4 carriage wheels into the lock mechanism?

More times than not, the framework of the 'legs' on the cot would get bent because they wouldn't fold up properly so you had to 'bump' them against the trucks bumper a little harder each time. Finally, it would get so bad that you had to have your partner lift the carriage wheels up and hold them till they made contact with the floor of the rig.

Ahh yes, those WERE 'the days'!

[spenac]

I think I'll stay with my styker power cot. Only way they go down quick is if someone grabs the red handle.

[firedoc5]

Are you referring to the ones that had the smaller wheels on the frame of the cot that would roll along the floor of the rig until the carriage wheels were lifted by being pressed against the frame of the truck. At that point you would lower the foot of the cot back down and it was supposed to ride along on the 4 carriage wheels into the lock mechanism?

More times than not, the framework of the 'legs' on the cot would get bent because they wouldn't fold up properly so you had to 'bump' them against the trucks bumper a little harder each time. Finally, it would get so bad that you had to have your partner lift the carriage wheels up and hold them till they made contact with the floor of the rig.

Ahh yes, those WERE 'the days'!

Yep, That's the one. :banghead:

[Chief1C]

Prior to killing my lumbar spine, I was a fan of the folding stretcher myself.. Grab the lite patients, and carry them, vs. adding 80lbs to the equation.

[Richard B the EMT]

Come on, I know there's others out there that know what I'm talking about.

Should I be worried, because I remember?

[Lone Star]

Prior to killing my lumbar spine, I was a fan of the folding stretcher myself.. Grab the lite patients, and carry them, vs. adding 80lbs to the equation.

The folding stretchers are definitely nice, especially when working in places with limited room. Unfortunately, there are some instances where you have to find 'alternative measures' to getting the patient to the cot. It's extremely humorous when you see a crew that has no idea of the concept that whatever you did to get the cot to the patient, will have to be done to get back to the rig. Sometimes patients just don't bend that way!