Fire Fighter/Paramedic Rob Williams demonstrates the Power Assist System
Just push a button to raise or lower a cot and to load or unload a patient in an ambulance! Loading a patient cot into an ambulance is nearly a hands-off operation for the Chillicothe Fire Department. Fire Chief Darrell Wright says this is a safety issue for both the patient and for the crews working on the ambulance.
While Wright says they don’t have statistics to prove it, but the patients are getting bigger and that can cause lifting injuries. He says the powered cots and load assist systems help to reduce the injuries.
The new cots used in the ambulance are rated to hold 700 pounds. That means with a push of a button, the cot can go from the lowered position to the point it is ready to go into the ambulance and the power loading system is also rated for 700 pounds.
