Electric-Powered Stretcher: Who Has Them, And What Do You Think?

[irishfire2491 24]

As I sit at the Ambulance Corp with only 3 hours of sleep waiting for the sales rep. to drop off a New Electric Stretcher, I was wondering How many depts have them? Do they Like Them? Have Any of them been Broken In the Past Beyound Repair. We had the Trial one for 30 days And my Believe Why make things Harder. I think they are to Heavier and To easy for something to get broken or jammed or a battery to die on scene. The only good side to the strecher is the up and down motion from floor to air. However placing it in the ambulance is another story!!! There is too Much weight for someone to hold waiting for the wheels to come up to the base of the strecher, to be placed in the ambulance. That is just my Theory on the use of the strecher. I would love to go back to the Old Fashion Light Weight Sretcher's

[firemoose827 324]

Hey brother. We have one of those things in my squad too, and I do not like it either. I dont see the positive to it other than being able to lift a heavy pt from the floor position to the loading position. But than like you said you still have to lift the stretcher up in order to put in in the ambulance, and the thing is heavier than the regular units. I just think that its a waste of money, I think ours cost about as much as a new car, and it doesnt realy offer much assistance or anything better. But, unfortuantely we are the type that has to learn through experience!!

Maybe you guys will have better luck with it, but we have mixed feelings on it here; half of us cant stand that we even wasted the money on it, the other half think it makes things easier...oh well.

Here is a link to our website, there is a picture of it next to our ambulance along with our new stair chairs.

Cobleskill Rescue

Good luck with it though, hope it works better for you guys.

Moose

Edited March 17, 2008 by moosecfd368
Fixed Link

[irishfire2491 24]

Yeah we all ready do have the New Stair Chair and I have to say they work Great Now only if the track can go up the stairs that would be the greatest invention since can tuna fish lol . But our old strechers are the same as the on located in your second picture with the other ambulance and they are not so great because if the head is not all the way up on the angle the legs will not move

[firemoose827 324]

Yeah we all ready do have the New Stair Chair and I have to say they work Great Now only if the track can go up the stairs that would be the greatest invention since can tuna fish lol . But our old strechers are the same as the on located in your second picture with the other ambulance and they are not so great because if the head is not all the way up on the angle the legs will not move

Yes, you are correct, its the "Loading" Position for the unit and it sometimes gets hard to place it into load, but I would still take that one over the electric one!!

The stair chairs are great, and the tread works well going down stairs with a heavy PT. Maybe someone will create a motor for them to go UP stairs as well....

[DaRock98 76]

Hey brother. We have one of those things in my squad too, and I do not like it either. I dont see the positive to it other than being able to lift a heavy pt from the floor position to the loading position. But than like you said you still have to lift the stretcher up in order to put in in the ambulance, and the thing is heavier than the regular units. I just think that its a waste of money, I think ours cost about as much as a new car, and it doesnt realy offer much assistance or anything better. But, unfortuantely we are the type that has to learn through experience!!

Maybe you guys will have better luck with it, but we have mixed feelings on it here; half of us cant stand that we even wasted the money on it, the other half think it makes things easier...oh well.

Here is a link to our website, there is a picture of it next to our ambulance along with our new stair chairs.

Cobleskill Rescue Squad

Good luck with it though, hope it works better for you guys.

Moose

Do you have another link to the website? It's not working on my computer it keeps saying web site not found.

[jack10562 414]

Try this:

http://www.cobleskillrescuesquad.com/

jump to Equipment:

http://www.cobleskillrescuesquad.com/main.asp?id=13

[DaRock98 76]

Thanks Jack! My dept. uses the same blue stretcher that is on the bottom of the page and I cant stand them! They may work for other dept. but not mine. First reason I hate them is it takes 2 people at ALL times to raise or drop them and secondly they don't fit properly in the rigs that we have so when we arrive at the hospital the legs don't drop all the way down and lock in to place so as you are pulling the stretcher out you have to tilt the stretcher up and kick out the legs to lock it into place WITH the pt on it! Talk about dangerous to the pt and the crew! We are now trying to fight the commissioners and talk them into letting us put the old ones we had back into service.

[cbfire25 9]

The department across town from mine bought one of the electric stretchers about a year ago and most of their members hate it. The idea was that it was going to help save backs and allow members who arn't strong enough to lift patients. However, this new stretcher has only increased the problem as it is heavier than normal stretchers and the members on the call must still lift it down the stairs to the front door/into the ambulance/etc. It is not worth the price tag, in my opinion. It is just another flashy piece of hardware to buy.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Give me an old Ferno 35A metal stretcher or give me death! Electric...nice in concept however the added weight sucks and I never liked the Rugged, Stryker or the Electric model because of the oversized wheels, you have to get that extra inch or so getting into the ambulance and with a heavy patient doesn't make for a good time on the back.

[Guest EFFP411]

We had the Ferno Power-flexx for a little while, Most of us ended up hating them, because they would often die while in use, making life more difficult. We ended up ditching them and going to the traditional ferno pro-flexx instead

[GAW6 66]

We have the electric stretchers and we love them!!! Have not heard one complaint about them. We keep an extra charged battery on the bus, so if by chance it dies on scene, we just pop another battery in.

[antiquefirelt 994]

There was a movement to buy them here, but we couldn't get past he added weight. They really only seem to be for transfer trucks where you're always able to put he pt. on then use the motor or air (seen these?) to power it up. Otherwise how much does it help when you have to carry the stretcher off a porch or across a snowy lawn? I just wouldn't want any extra weight, when the only benefit is the lift that you can best protect your back from anyway. Lifting a stretcher from the ground to "load" is no issue using good techniques because you're stabilized and lifting straight up. How about something that reduces the weight when you're sliding across an icy driveway? The salesman for Stryker electrics left here in a big huff! Sadly a few of our employees were mad about it, I'll have to point out some of the user comments here.

GAW6- what kind of area do you serve? I can see lots of pavement and hard floors making them seem pretty decent.

[ny10570 745]

When the electric first started coming around, I thought they sounded amazing. While I haven't used one regularly, I'm glad I haven't had to. If the patient is so heavy that its going to be difficult to lift its also going to be very difficult to hold up while the wheels are raised. I'd just assume save the extra weight of the stretcher.

[STAT213 332]

We got them - Strykers - about a year and a half ago. We LOVE them and can't wait until all four of our ambulances have them. I can see some of the complaints, but I think most of them are because you are using them like the old stretchers. We generally load with two people on the end lifting it up. We rarely take it into someone's house - you are all correct its heavy - that's what the stair chair is for.

If you're having issues with load height, are they properly adjusted for your rigs? Did you know about the override for load height, that it does go up a couple extra inches? We are specing a new ambulance right now, and load height is a concern. Unless you are in an international chassis, I can't see it being a huge issue. We had all the vendors bring C4500s for us to play with and regardless of spring/suspension types, we found that we would have to assist the head end into the truck only on really steep hills.

I LOVE not having to lift the dang stretcher, and can't understand why you would want to keeping lifting when you don't have to.

As for type of service/area, we are career fire and ems (transporting) in a mostly suburban/rural area.

Derry Fire

Edited March 18, 2008 by moosecfd368
Added Link for member

[Guest]

Middlebury is considering an electric with our new car, which we will be ordering in the next month. I don't want to get one, Campion Ambulance, the commercial that backs us and provides our ALS, tried them, and only has one in what they call the "fat" car. We do have the Stryker stair-chair, and that thing is just the best!!!! I have heard little good, and lots of bad, but, it's mostly hearsay. I'd like to actually try one, which we probably will before we come to a final decision.

[LCFD968 10]

We have a Stryker in our rig and Love it here. We have had it for over a year with no complaints (that I hear). No weight issue, bringing it in a house is not an issue because of how it will (shrink) fold when you need it to. It is by all means not a one person job but hell NO MORE LIFTING from the ground position.

Our district has over 500 runs a year and mostly raised ranch with a lot of old bungalows on a very hilly terrain..

We also have the stair chair, AWESOME AWESOME...

[jcoppola 52]

Norwalk has powered stretchers, but they aren't powered by electricity, they are powered by FIREMEN.

...a joke, people, just a joke...our medics and cops are great, we all work together.

[eagle5473 7]

We have had the Stryker in Roxbury for 1 1/2 years and love it. Yes its heavy, but you just need to adjust how you work with your pt's bring the pt to the cot using the stair chair and not the cot ..I would not buy a Ferno due to the battery issue the Stryker we have a second battery, and there is an override for the rare case its dead.....Stryker is the only cot to look at we tested them all even the air powered one.....

Aaron

[Guest]

i heard they cost about $10K? how much did you guys pay for them

[ONEEYEDMIC 68]

I don't use them but have seen them used lots and lots of times and I don't see any advantage except saving your back. But, if you know how to lift correctly that shouldn't be and issue. The old style stretchers were easy to use with 2 people. They say that the new stretcher are 1 man but it usually takes about 3 too work it. I have also seen the Stairchairs with motors and movable treads to get down the stairs. That takes forever as well and I can guarantee I can get down the stairs faster with a partner and a reg stairchair then with that thing.

I guess if you can't lift your body weight then you should have help from a motor.

[irishfire2491 24]

i heard they cost about $10K? how much did you guys pay for them

It is around that price Not sure on the Right Amount!!!!

[eagle5473 7]

$10-11k is what they cost

What does 1 lower back inj cost? all of that and then some

We were the First Service in CT to order The stryker I have now seen at least 5-6 others with them in western CT . ALL of them were the Stryker

[ONEEYEDMIC 68]

Don't you think that you could spend 10k on something else other than a stretcher? I mean how lazy to you have to get? I just don't understand it and I don't want to hear about getting hurt either. If you can't lift correctly then get out OF EMS. Spending 10K on something is RIDICULOUS.

[Guest]

Don't you think that you could spend 10k on something else other than a stretcher? I mean how lazy to you have to get? I just don't understand it and I don't want to hear about getting hurt either. If you can't lift correctly then get out OF EMS. Spending 10K on something is RIDICULOUS.

i have to agree, their are criteria needed to ride an ambulance. being able to lift is one of them. i understand for older or people not as strong its a fine idea, but what about a 2 person crew and a 250 pound man down (dead weight)...how do you plan to get him on the strecher if you can't lift? a 2 person crew should be able to lift a 250 pound man w/o assistance. it might take some effort, but no one said lifting 250 dead weight was easy.

who do you bother? do you bother more cops to help? maybe the fire dept? or is your ems agency self sufficient, so you are able to call your own people for assistance w/o bothering other agencies? i'd personally like to see more of that and less reliance on pd and fd.

[ONEEYEDMIC 68]

i have to agree, their are criteria needed to ride an ambulance. being able to lift is one of them. i understand for older or people not as strong its a fine idea, but what about a 2 person crew and a 250 pound man down (dead weight)...how do you plan to get him on the strecher if you can't lift? a 2 person crew should be able to lift a 250 pound man w/o assistance. it might take some effort, but no one said lifting 250 dead weight was easy.

who do you bother? do you bother more cops to help? maybe the fire dept? or is your ems agency self sufficient, so you are able to call your own people for assistance w/o bothering other agencies? i'd personally like to see more of that and less reliance on pd and fd.

I have carried some heavy people with a partner alone many, many times. 250lbs is not that heavy. As a matter of fact, a person should be able to lift their own body weight or at least 75% of their body weight.

I will help lift on calls if it gets me back in service faster. If you have a crew of people that can't lift don't look to me to do your lifting. And if I must lift, you are going to get an earful. I see that way too much now.

[Bnechis 3,961]

Don't you think that you could spend 10k on something else other than a stretcher? I mean how lazy to you have to get? I just don't understand it and I don't want to hear about getting hurt either. If you can't lift correctly then get out OF EMS. Spending 10K on something is RIDICULOUS.

I dont know what it costs to put a lift on the ambulance (most Neonate units have them) but I just spec'ed the top of the line lift for a dept. pick up and it cost $3,500 installed.

I agree you should be able to lift or get out. But it also makes no sense to have to lift the over 300 crowd. If this reduces injuries it saves the agency $$$.

[John Meeker Jr 0]

We have three of these stretchers and have learned to use the stair chair more often or a reeves to get people out of houses and not take the stretcher in. I feel a lot better knowing that I do not have to carry a stretcher over stairs that we have other acceptable methods to bring the patient to the stretcher. I like the electric stretcher and the only down fall I have seen is it will not work with the stat track system. We have issues loading the stretcher if the bus is not level.

[MoFire390 118]

It is always better to have 2 people operating a strecher then it is just one. When the corp that I belonged to had the test model for 30 days I used it once and almost flipped the strecher with a patient on it. To this day I REFUSE to use that strecher. I would rather have something happen when its me and my partner then when it is just me on the strecher. Does anyone else feel the same way??

Could be worse they could be 750 lbs of dead weight. right IRISH2491.

Edited March 23, 2008 by MoFire390

[NWFDMedic 58]

I've seen just about every brand of the electric stretchers with on the BLS ambulances we meet and assist. The stretchers are cumbersome for the crew, uncomfortable for the patient and difficult to operate except in optimal conditions. I would like to see them in our bariatric transport buses, but otherwise let me keep my 35A.

The only argument I can't see is the "going up and down stairs" thing. That's what the stair chair is for. If you don't have an advanced style stair chair at this point, go to your management and start to complain. You would be amazed at the decrease in back related injuries with an advanced style stair chair. They are well worth the money for any service... and if your service is really in that dire straits, talk to your local legislators and get them to find you some grant money. We even had a commercial service around here that got grant money to get new stair chairs.

[GAW6 66]

I don't use them but have seen them used lots and lots of times and I don't see any advantage except saving your back.

"Except saving your back" - as a person who has a 5" scar on my lower back from surgery, I think it is a BIG advantage! I admit, I do not do much lifting anymore - 99% of the police officers on scene are very helpful and many of them even tell me to get out of the way so that they can help lift.

As I said previously, I have not heard one complaint - the police officers, medics, etc. that we work with love them. As far as the cost, we handle our budget very well - $123,000/yr doing 800-900 calls, covering (2) fire districts. We haven't done a fund drive since 1998 and we do not bill our patients - just great budgeting! I paid $34.19 in taxes last year for ambulance service, which included the cost of ALS service. So I don't think any tax payers will be complaining about us spending $10K for a stretcher.