More than 350 Alberta Health Services ground ambulances, including those used in Airdrie, will be equipped with power stretchers and load systems to help alleviate one of the leading causes of injuries to paramedics.

Yesterday (July 13) the Alberta government announced it is investing $20 million to put the stretchers, that use a battery powered hydraulic system to lift up to 317 kilograms (700 pounds) safely and with no physical strain to paramedics, into AHS ambulances.  The equipment will also be standard issue in all new ambulances.  

Mike Plato, Associate Executive Director with Alberta Health Services EMS says this is a significant evolution in the EMS profession in Alberta.  "What it does is the powered stretcher, once a patient is loaded on, it will actually raise itself up to the full load position and then the powered load system allows the paramedics to load the patient into the ambulance, essentially creating a zero lift environment.  The hardware and technology does all of the lifting of the patient and loading into the ambulance and all they need to do is maneuver the structure into the loading system and it does the rest of the work."

According to Plato, paramedics being injured when lifting patients and equipment is one of the most common workplace injuries they face.  "You imagine paramedics that lift patients that weigh a couple of hundred pounds, in addition to the weight of the stretcher, multiple times every day of every week, the impact and risk for injury is substantial.  This we know will result in a significant reduction in the injuries to paramedics in Alberta."

Alberta Health Services installed electronic lifts in eight inter-facility transfer vehicles in 2015 as part of a pilot project.  During that time not a single lift-related injury was reported by staff using the equipment.  Plato says that reduction in injuries is quite remarkable.

"Compared to that same time frame in the Edmonton and Calgary operations there was documented 84 injuries for paramedics that were not using this new technology.  The other thing that's interesting, and it's kind of a win-win for us, is our paramedics are really, really embracing it and supporting this technology."

Plato says installation of the new equipment will likely begin in late August or early September.  The work is expected to be completed by the spring of 2018.  

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