Best stretcher / cot for ambulance work ???

[sambo]

In Australia, we use the Ferno brand of stretcher, the model we use is a combination of FWE 50-6 undercarriage and FWE 155-3 stretcher. It is a good combination of adjustability, versatility and longivety. However the total weight is approximately 40 kg without adding the weight of the patient. These days we should all be concerned with protecting our backs from injury. Is your service using a better stretcher / cot that is light weight or designed to better protect ourselves? I dream that one day there will be a light-weight stretcher that raises and lowers the patient itself !:)

[IAMedic]

I use to be an all Ferno guy. But, my PT gig just got three Strykers. I was very hesistant, but to tell you the truth, Ferno and Stryker are in a tie for first place in my mind. They both have their good points and bad, however, I hate to admit that Stryker may pull ahead in this area: hand positioning rails; even our shortest women can keep the patients level using the lower hand rails for lifting and putting them in the back of the rig with ease. I went to use them for the first time (lower hand rails) and practically had the lady standing on her head. That is a plus if you have shorter people on your squad, especially women.

But, the Strykers are more $$. If I would have to purchase new cots today, I would seriously give them both consideration. If it came down to cost, then Ferno would probably be the one we went with.

[SilverCity4]

The Fernos I used seemed to want to collapse with no warning. Usually because they hadn't locked properly. I also had fits with sheets getting caught in the moving parts.

Then we got a Stryker. I loved it. Yes it is more expensive, but it is much easier to use and easier on your back once you get used to it. Never had a problem with the Stryker.

[codeblue81]

I've worked with Ferno and Rugged and I'd say that the Rugged cots are abit better. Like Adler said the hand positioning is alot better. We use the MX PRO on my vollie service and in my opinion it's superior to anything else that I've used.

code_blue81:D

[RyanEMVFD]

we use combination of both ferno and stryker. some of the ambulances use the older fernos and some have the strykers. we do have a newer ferno that we are trying out. so far haven't heard anything good or bad about it. will keep you posted on any interesting on it.

[ALSfirefighter]

Give me my ferno or give me death!! I like the plain and simple Ferno's, I think its model 35E. light, simple, and metal. Rugged's for my area, we all think they suck. To heavy, and the larger size wheels make you have to lift it an extra inch to get it in. And believe me that extra inch is sometimes more like a foot and I'm 6'. One of the vollie VAC's I cover with my flycar has that new plastic something model and its an over priced piece of crap too. Every call I've been on the EMT's from the agency can't get the wheels to unlock to lift them to get it into the bus. Stretchers are for 3 things, 1 to transport a patient, 2 to carry all your crap on, & 3 to sleep on.

[N2DFire]

Ferno 93ES Squadmate.

Went to these about 2 years ago. Previous to these we had the old "2 Man" jobs that took about 6 people to put a good sized Pt. in the truck with.

We looked at just about every make / model "1 Man" stretcher on the market at the time. Did some hands-on testing of any thing we could.

Ended up picking the 93ES because of Weight/Features/Cost when compaired to others.

Have not been disapointed yet.


sambo -

There was one agency here that had some stretcher (i forget brand/model) that had a battery powered motor for lifting - I think they had it on the truck for about 6 months before they tossed it.

Too slow & lots of other problems from what I hear.

[IAMedic]

There was one agency here that had some stretcher (i forget brand/model) that had a battery powered motor for lifting - I think they had it on the truck for about 6 months before they tossed it.

Good Point N2DFire!! STAY AWAY FROM THE HYDRAULIC MODELS!!!! They are not worth it. We had 1 of them and we had this problem:

- Had to flip the switch from "Fold, Extent, Manual" constantly
- Battery would be dead when you needed it
- If you had a charged battery, you would have to go look for it in the snow because it fell out.
- When raising or extending the legs, it was sometimes slow and would get caught in mid-air.


So, I would say, don't even consider them...but to each his own, I guess. Good Luck

[M1NFD]

We are running a Ferno 35 a AND an MX pro. At a recent trade show Styker and Ferno were at opposite ends of the building, I rolled the new Ferno and the Stryker together(believe me the Ferno rep wanted NOTHING to do with this I finally guilted him into it) the Stryker rep saw me coming and met me in the middle. All I can see with the new Ferno is that it is a 35A with bigger tubes. It jammed twice trying to raise and lower it, and was all around much cheaper in its construction. Granted the Stryker might be a little more pricey, but we love ours, as it is much smoother and easier to operate. We also have a 46" deck height on our trucks(2 identical) and we always put the Stryker in the first out truck.
I think it just has enough better 'little things' that make it a much more desirable strecher to work with overall.

[Disgruntled]

Personally, I feel that the Strykers are too top-heavy. My dream cot is the Ferno Model 28 Chair-Cot. It's great because you can sit the patient in it plus it will fit in elevators and other confined spaces that other cots won't. And the design of it allows it to roll right into the bus without lifting the undercarriage.

[Toering]

I have to say... I like the ferno.
We use the 93ex, and the 93es.
Some of our cots are 20 years old and work like a charm.
We did have one sent in for a recon...word of advice... DO NOT RECONDITION!
When we received it back the carrage would not drop w/ a pt on. among other flaws and glitches.
Now were looking at the new proflexx, we are waiting until october
when ferno is going to offer it in the H frame (like the 93es/ex).
If your dept. is using an x frame (like the model 35) make sure that they stay with an x frame, same if your dept. is using the H frame.
Your crew is going to have problems with the change. The power lift on the fernos is for the birds. First of all we did'nt just carry the 400lb person down 4 flights of stairs to wimp out and use the power loader on getting them into the ambulance. second, its just one more thing to break and make you look like fools when we are professionals. The ferno Xcalibur looks and feels like it was made by fisher price. I don't recomend it. Stryker makes a good cot, It works. I find it to big and bulky. I don't think the stryker is all what it is cracked up to be. It rolls easy! Make sure you have a good hold on the cot! You might find yourself in a court room if you pt. and cot goes scooten down the hill( people in North Dakota don't need to worry)JK. People I think pay too much money for yellow paint.
I must say the stryker stair-pro 6252 is nice. That is very easy to use. I wonder how well it will hold up in a busy service.

[WSFDEXPLR]

GCEMS USES THE NEW PROFLEXX AND I LIKE THEM. GO WITH IT.

[Catch22]

I used to be a huge Stryker fan until one my services looked at the Ferno PROFlexx (http://emergency.ferno.com/cots/35-p.htm) . I think it competes with the Stryker and is lighter and has a few more options.


81 lbs.
650 lbs. capacity
6" wheels w/ locks
Gas assisted back rest
Mattress locks into the frame


For those short people, the back frame not only drops all the way down, but locks in at about 45 degrees. There's also optional pull out handles on the sides.

[hageremtp]

Ferno Forever!

[Weruj1]

I think that the 35M or whatever the version is a GREAT cot for us as the homes in our town have narrow hallyways and tight turns. The Strykers I think are really better made but I am sure that they wont fit place that the Ferno goes. And yes I have used them both.

[nrz2334]

We are using a ferno with a power assist(no longer made) and a stryker with a power assist on it(new). I like the ferno better! Whe have had nothing but problems with the stryker. I wish ferno would make another cot with a power assist on it.

[smurfe]

We use the Strykers also and they are a fine product. Every now and then when one is in for maintenance, I have an old Ferno 35A which I have to say is still my favorite stretcher. Point to all who purchase Strykers, you can get many different options on them such as wheel locks (a great feature) right hand triggers for those used to the Ferno 93's etc. Overall, I feel they are a great, rugged product and am pleased, but still have to say I prefer the old Ferno 35's. Simplicity at it's best IMHO

Smurfe:D

[strippel]

We have at least 12 35A's, which we all love. We did have some 93A's, which we also love. We got rid of them, so all of them were the same. We are now buying ProFlexx, and have 2 of them. We like them, especially the higher weight capacity. (Gotta love that good Dutch cooking!). There are two problems with the ProFlexx, they are hard to operate if you are not tall. You have take ALL of the weight off the wheels when you are loading. Also, the left hand grip is hard for people with small hands.
We tried some others, Strykers and Excaliber. The Strykers were too heavy, and didn't work well on 2 person crews. The Excalibers....hum, well.... With the blue plastic, we called them Tele-Tubbie litters :D :D :D . We got rid of them ASAP. But the Stryker wheels did come in pretty handy.
The volley squad I fill in at has 1 Ferno and 1 Stryker "1 man" litters. Don't like either. They have that un/locking lever, which is a pain in the a&*. And when you only have a 2 man crew, and it takes both of you to manuver the litter.

I'd really like to try one of those stair-chair litters.

BTW, if you are getting sheets stuck in the mechanisms.. First of, make your cot so the sheet doesn't get inside. Second, Ferno has made plastic guards for many years, to prevent that from happening. Make sure you litter is serviced, at least annually. :rolleyes:

[swrr88]

I am a Stryker man...simply because they were the first with the "modern style" stretcher. Ferno just seems like a copy to me.


By the way....Question, watching the Chicago Fire Ambulances operating at the E2 diaster it appeared a lot of them were using some ancient cots. Did anyone notice that? They appeared to be those old cots that have two levels... Down and then up all the way. How can there still be cots that old on the streets?

[hageremtp]

Bump!