New power stretchers ease weight for Florence County EMS workers
John D. Russell/Morning News
Florence County EMS paramedic Barrett Gause, left, and EMT Alan Dempsey load a patient into the ambulance using one of the new power stretchers Tuesday in Florence.
FLORENCE — A huge weight has been lifted off of Florence County’s Emergency Medical Services employees.
Earlier this year, the county purchased 10 powered ambulance cots, which are powered by a hydraulic system that raises and lowers a patient with the touch of a button. The cots were purchased in an effort to reduce lifting injuries among EMS workers.
“We were using manual ambulance stretchers so they were manually lifting each and every patient,” Florence County Risk Manager Tony Lewis said. “Obesity has become a national problem, so a lot of the patients they lift are obese. As a result, over the last three years, we’ve had about 10 lifting injuries a year. Shoulder injuries, back injuries, knee injuries, and some have been disabling injuries where people couldn’t return to work.”
The cots were built to accommodate up to 700 pounds. EMS employees still have to lift the patient onto the stretcher, but Lewis said in most cases, a patient is somewhat able to assist the EMS worker in that process.
County officials applied for grants to cover the cost of the cots, which run about $10,000 apiece, Lewis said, but the grant did not come through. Through salary savings and budget adjustments at EMS, however, the county was able to make the purchases. Lewis said though costly, the investment was worth it because such lifting injuries cost the county — and, ultimately, the taxpayers — dollars and time.
“It saves us in lost time of employees being out of work because of injuries and in worker’s compensation payouts,” Lewis said. “From January to July, we had two minor lifting injuries, but since we put in the powered stretchers July 1, we haven’t had a single injury. It’s saving the county money, and it’s keeping our employees healthy.”
Florence County EMS Director Ryon Watkins agreed and said his employees are healthier and happier with the battery-operated cots.
“These cots are rapidly becoming the industry standard in EMS,” Watkins said. “The county made this investment with the hopes of reducing the number of injuries, the severity of injuries and the expense accrued due to Worker’s Comp claims, and the effort is working. Our population appears to be becoming more obese, and it puts a lot less wear and tear on our employees to have hydraulics to lift rather than their backs and shoulders.”
The county hopes to equip the remaining three ambulances in the EMS fleet with the powered stretchers within the next one or two years, Watkins said.
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Reader Reactions
OK….so EMS workers are the greatest most dedicated workers in the world. All you have to do is make a little comment about some ems workers being obese (nothing about the job they do) to get there dander up and have them tell you how great they are. The comment was made in response to the EMS complaint about people being obese and they have to pick them up. Either EMS workers hate there job or think they are some kind of gods from the post on in resonse to my comment. Garbage workers have a dangerous job also, they have to be out in the street dodging cars picking up garbage most of the day. How about construction workers.
Get over yourself EMS!!!! If you don’t like the job, get another or are you to fat.
This in intended for the ones that my post about the obesity appearently hit home with and they felt they needed to get off that subject. I have nothing whatsoever against EMS and I stick with my original post. It appears most of the responses agree with it also but want to brag a little also.
“what”
Hopefully no EMS will never pick you up. Hopefully you will never lose a night of sleep over a stranger that is in need. Yes, EMS may not always have the fittest employees or even the nicest, but I will take a seasoned EMS crew over A lot of other medical people any day of the week. As far as how often EMS puts themselves “in Danger”....every third day, for 24 hrs. Everytime you see an ambulance they are going to or coming from a run and you NEVER know what they are going in to. By the way, if you are really interested in exactly what EMS does and their “shirt” size..I challenge you to sign a waiver and go ride with any EMS service. Most services will allow you to ride and see what EMS really does. Unfortuately you won’t be able to experience the whole 24 experience, but leave your number and I will make sure to call you EVERY TIME I run a call in 24 hrs and lets see how you feel then. Till then, drive safe, wear your seatbelt, take your meds, stay healthy… WE ARE EMS AND WE WILL BE WAITING FOR YOU.
Hey “what” - sounds like you are offering to cook a healthy meal for the EMS people. I’m sure they would appreciate it as they are probably getting tired of the fast food. It is hard to keep your weight in check when your quickest option is a 3,000 calorie meal, and that is IF you get to eat it all before the next call. Course it seems like “what” has nothing to worry about since he/she doesn’t seem to think they will EVER need the EMS services. You must be in perfect health and never travel anywhere. Oh, wait, don’t most accidents happen around the home? hmm…
Dear what as a EMT myself i take serious offence in the comment you wrote. For your information my coworkers and I put our lives on the line everyday we leave our families for our shift. We never know if we will get a chance to come back home and see our kids and spouses. When we stand in the road working fender bender wrecks that you are slowing down to see what is going on we put our lives one the line. When we go to a domestic violence call we put our lives on the line. When we are running Lights and siren to one of your sick loved ones we put our lives on the line. So you see we put our lives on the lines everytime we get in the truck ,but we have a saying you cant fix stupid and you cant fix ignorance. As far as the matter of EMS workers being over wheight well you get on the truck and run calls all day and finally manage to get lunch at o say nine at night I would be willing to bet you would settle for the less than healthy meals. Well my friend I think that is all I got to say feel free to respond.
iluvu or should that be iluvme. You are right about one thing I am entitled to my opinion and that is about as far as your being right goes. They have a job, they have never gone to work to save my life. How oftem to they put their own life at risk? No where did I say I was not grateful that they do the job they do but it is a job. If a lot of the shirt sizes and pant sizes were smaller maybe they could handle the job better. I did not say all EMS workers are obese as you implied, I am sure that some of the EMS workers would like some coworkers to lose some weight. Oh, by the way, that was the reason for getting the new power cots “Obesity has become a national problem”. Maybe there was some EMS obesity that caused some of the injuries that workmans comp is paying for.
The comment that was left about EMS workers being obese was simply uncalled for. One is entitled to their own opinion,however, it is these people that get up every day and go to work to save your life!!! They put their own lives at risk only to help an ungrateful person such as as yourself. They deserve to be recognized for the good work they do, not their shirt size.
Glad to hear that power litters have come to the ems in Florence. The ems people will love them!!! Congrats!!! They come in handy I know from experience as I am an EMT and have used the Striker of Rugged litters on our rigs here in PA
Maybe eliminating the obesity of some of the EMS workers would help also.
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