(March 18, 2021) The Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District (LAFCRD) is using new equipment from Stryker Corporation to reduce the risk of injuries to their patients, firefighter EMTs, and firefighter paramedics. The Power-LOAD™ system is a revolutionary method for managing the stretcher during loading and unloading while increasing security during transport.
The Power-LOAD system allows for loading and unloading without additional lifting by personnel, and the cot must be actively released by the provider; reducing the chance of a “dropped” stretcher. The units reduce risks of injury to staff from overexertion or repetitive lifting back injuries. Reducing injuries lowers insurance costs and increases the length of careers.
Paramedics and EMTs face the risk of injuries every time they lift a stretcher into or out of an ambulance. A stretcher that is loaded or unloaded in uneven terrain—not hard to imagine in an emergency—can fall to the ground, injuring the patient and provider. Chief Robert DiLallo says that the Power-LOAD system helps “prove our commitment to the safety of our patients and firefighters.”
The Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District provides advanced life support and transport services to a population of over 140,000 people within the 142 square miles of the fire district. In 2020, the LAFCRD responded to over 9,800 calls requiring EMS services. For more information on LAFCRD, please visit www.lehighfd.com.
