FLORENCE As the nations obesity rate continues to climb, so does the number of larger patients who need emergency medical help. <\/p>\n
We are in a larger society, and because of that EMS is seeing more and more bariatric patients, said Lauderdale County 911 Director George Grabryan. <\/p>\n
Shoals Ambulance Service has added new technology to be better equipped to care for larger patients. <\/p>\n
Unfortunately, across America the obesity rate has climbed and this is a tool that we need to handle that growth in our patient care, said Blake Hargett, operations manager for Shoals Ambulance. <\/p>\n
Shoals Ambulance, which is based in Florence, has provided emergency medical services for the city and Lauderdale County since 2012. <\/p>\n
Hargett said the company has added an automated Transafe ramp system that will allow emergency medical technicians and paramedics to move bariatric patients easier and safer. <\/p>\n
Amanda Jennings, director of marketing and communications for Priority Ambulance, the parent company of Shoals Ambulance, said Specialized EMS technology for bariatric patients is becoming increasingly necessary. <\/p>\n
She said Alabama ranked second in the country in adult obesity in a recent study released in 2016. <\/p>\n
Hargett said the new equipment includes a bariatric stretcher, which is motorized and can be raised and lowered. He said the stretcher is rolled to the ambulance and then put on ramps that are winch-controlled and gently pulls the stretcher onto the ambulance as EMTs and paramedics walk beside it. <\/p>\n
(Shoals Ambulance) is taking advantage of what is available and putting it to use, Grabryan said. We appreciate them doing this. Its going to mean a lot to our citizens. <\/p>\n
Jennings said EMTs and paramedics have completed training on the new technology. <\/p>\n
This allows our EMTs and paramedics to treat bariatric people with decency and modesty in a safer manner and to improve the safety of our crews, Hargett said. <\/p>\n
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Taking advantage of technology - Times Daily<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" FLORENCE As the nations obesity rate continues to climb, so does the number of larger patients who need emergency medical help. Continue reading