Gurney Tracks... anyone tried them?

[PurplePoodle]

Our dept is looking into the new tracks that are very similar to the tracks used on the stryker stair chairs. The tracks mount to the frame of the gurney and fold down to go down stairs. They are not made by stryker and are a rather spendy investment at $1645 plus the mounting hardware. We are curious if any of you have tried them, and your opinion of them. Also, if you have used them, do you know they will effect our warrantee on our gurney.
Any info will be helpful.
Thanks

[DrParasite]

while i don't know about the product you are talking about, I want to ask, do you really want to carry the stretcher up a flight of stairs? and then, with the patient on it, you will have to carry it down?

i'd stay away from this, use the stairchair if they can sit, if not, use a backboard or a reeves stretcher to carry someone down the stairs.

just my two cents.

[Weruj1]

http://www.paramedsystems.com/

[PurplePoodle]

Originally posted by DrParasite
do you really want to carry the stretcher up a flight of stairs?

I 100% agree with you... I certainly don't WANT to carry the gurney up any stairs... however the stairs that we are planning on using them on are just porch type stairs.
We are a very small dept with only one medic on duty and we rely on volunteer EMTs to show up and drive. Unfortunatly in our case, our primary driver is 70+ years old and does not have the ability to lift a patient. We have two choices, we call for mutual aid from a neighboring station or we look for an alternative means to transport the patient to the ambulance. That is why we are looking into getting these tracks, it will make the medic's job so much easier.
So its not a matter of wanting to carry the gurney upstairs, but matter of not wanting to carry the patient solo.
Thanks!

[N2DFire]

Preface - I know the track system you are referring to but have not (yet) had any first hand experience with it.

I have used the Stryker Chair @ the FH Expo last year and I really liked it. I have been trying to get our Equipment Lt. to get a demo scheduled for our crew but so far have had no luck.

Based on your second response I would suggest that you consider the Stryker Chair instead of this system for your cot - esp. if it's going to be a 1 man (er person) operation. The chair should be lighter that the cot, will go more places (i.e. stairs w/ landings), and should be generally easier for 1 person to operate.

Just my $.02 on the subject but we have to do stair chair Ops a lot due to building trends here (not many 1 story homes), older houses that you can't get a cot into the rooms once you get it down a hall, and a local college with 3-4 story dorms w/ no elevators - I'd give my right arm to swap our "regular" stair chairs for one of these new fangled ones with the tracks.

[firemedic53]

We use the Stryker stair chair with the treads - works great once you get used to it. I'd wonder about using a stretcher the same way due to the length, especially with a 70+ assistant.....haven't done it though.

[Resq14]

Originally posted by N2DFire
I'd give my right arm to swap our "regular" stair chairs for one of these new fangled ones with the tracks.

We just bought two:D

They work very well. Part of the rationale was that if they save even one OTJ back injury, they've more than paid for themselves.

[wiseguytuna]

Idunno if it is the samething but we use a stretcher that folds into a chair, and I personally like them. However they are not made to be used as a stair chair, and they are not balanced all that well they tip over very easy if you are not careful.

[dfdems]

I wonder if they are always down or not? Seems like it would be a pain if they were.

As far as the stair chair with it I think that would be pretty nice. I hate the old ones some times but they work

DFDEMS (http://www.dfdems.com)

[Weruj1]

dfd.............I believe they kind of fold up along the bottom rails of the cot.

[Engine58]

That seems to be an interesting stretcher, but in the mean time I'll stick to the regular Ferno Stretchers that we have..1 1/2 man cots..gotta love em!! Now the stryker stairchairs I've had the pleasure to use many many times, only bad thing is you get used to using one of them and then go to use the chair the old way and its tough. I love the new stryker chairs only have a few problems with them, moving on carpeted staircases with loose carpeting and also when the patient is reallllly big and realllly tall they dont mix to well either just like with the old stairchairs...makes my job alot easier with the treads but if the person on the top doesnt hold the rails on the chair properly on the way down they are just gonna push the person on the bottom of the chair down the stairs and thats a bad thing..I had this happen to me the other night bringing a big & tall person down the stairs and being on the bottom...luckily I had good footing and didnt lose my balance...

[Resq14]

Originally posted by Engine58
That seems to be an interesting stretcher, but in the mean time I'll stick to the regular Ferno Stretchers that we have..1 1/2 man cots..gotta love em!!

You add these onto existing stretchers...

"Easily mounts to any cot such as Stryker™ MX-pro, Ferno™ 35A, 35P, and 30"

[Weruj1]

Hey.....some people can only look at the pictures .....:D

[Engine58]

ok I deserved that one lol....I didnt read the article just looked at the pictures real quick I got side tracked...sorry lol