Ambulance for the fat a Calgary first!

Calgary paramedics are now driving the first ambulance in Canada specifically designed for fat patients.

The ambulance can accommodate people weighing up to 1,000 pounds, so obese patients don't have to be reluctant about calling for medical help, said Grant Theirren, the superintendent of special operations for Emergency Medical Services.

"We encourage everybody to call 911 regardless of their weight and situation," he said. "We have the tools to make things easier, to keep patient dignity, and offer them the professional service that every other patient has exposure to."

The upgrades to the ambulance include a specially designed air mattress that is inflated beneath the patient, making transfer to a widened stretcher easier and safer. A remote lift system then gently raises the stretcher into the ambulance.

Paul Lapointe, a public education officer with EMS, said the ambulance, refitted at a cost of $30,000, should cut down injuries among paramedics transferring obese patients.

Your "get the forklift" scribe;
Allan W Janssen

Allan W Janssen is the author of The Plain Truth About God-101 (what the church doesn't want you to know!) www.God-101.com