* In the original message to All, Ed Mccarthy said:
 >     Does anyone, in any company or service use the new Rugged
 > stretcher
 > made by Stryker?  The big heavy yellow and black thing?  Our
 > department
 
We have had them online for about a year and I know of absolutely no one that 
has anything kind to say about them.  One big thing is at the scene of any 
accident, you better chock the wheels or that yellow thing of a stretcher 
will be flying down the road faster than your unit.  I, personally, can get a 
Ferno in a lot tighter spots than the Stryker.  My partner and I have 
resorted to leaving the Stryker as close to the patient as practical and 
utilize our StairChair to move the patient to a spot more accessible.  The 
line personnel were left out of the decision making process, even with two 
crews who had field tested them for two months giving them a stinging 
negative recommendation.
 
 > had numerous crews try them out and evaluate them, and
 > everyone
 > unanimously gave them the "thumbs down" for various reasons.  
 > So being
 > in touch with the people who have to use them, as usual, the
 > department
 > went ahead and bought them anyway.
 
Sounds familiar!!
 
 >     Does anyone like working with them?  I've been working
 > with the old
 > Ferno aluminum stretchers for years, and my back has never
 > ached like it
 > does now.
 >     Yet another "advancement" for EMS workers everywhere! 
 > lucky us!
You said it!! :(
 
Larry
Nashville, TN Fire Dept. EMS
 
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