Taking advantage of technology – Times Daily

FLORENCE As the nations obesity rate continues to climb, so does the number of larger patients who need emergency medical help.

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.

Shoals Ambulance Service has added new technology to be better equipped to care for larger patients.

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.

Shoals Ambulance, which is based in Florence, has provided emergency medical services for the city and Lauderdale County since 2012.

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.

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.

She said Alabama ranked second in the country in adult obesity in a recent study released in 2016.

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.

(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.

Jennings said EMTs and paramedics have completed training on the new technology.

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.

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Taking advantage of technology - Times Daily