America Getting So Fat - Bigger Ambulances Are Needed...

[Obama 2012 1,714]

This is just plain sad...

Lay off the Big Macs people!!!

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http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/02/28/2884609/as-patients-get-larger-medstar.html#tvg#ixzz1FN7FQFtx

The obesity epidemic is growing, which means patients needing ambulances are getting bigger, too.

Accordingly, ambulance service MedStar is getting a big overhaul.

MedStar, which serves 15 Tarrant County cities, is converting its older Ford chassis to a heavier-duty Chevy chassis, according to Matt Zavadsky, MedStar associate director for operations.

"It's a growing problem," Zavadsky said of the increase in the number of calls to transport obese patients. "And it's one that's not going away anytime soon."

Zavadsky said about 80 percent of the fleet of 54 ambulances has been upgraded, with changes to be completed by year's end. The new chassis costs about $7,000 more than the previous chassis.

"In addition to the remounting, where we put the old box on the new chassis, we also purchased seven additional ambulances for the fleet last year due to the call volume growth and the staffing growth," Zavadsky said.

Zavadsky said the space or "box" area in which patients ride will not be affected.

Although MedStar doesn't keep statistics on patients' weight, Zavadsky said that the trend nationwide toward obesity holds true in North Texas as well. Last year, MedStar logged 220 calls requiring bariatric equipment, for obese patients.

He said one patient weighed close to 1,000 pounds.

"It's the biggest since I've been here," Zavadsky said. "It took lots of equipment and quite a while."

'Dramatic increase'

More than a quarter of American adults are obese, according to Karen Hunter, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"During the past 20 years, there has been a dramatic increase in obesity in the United States," Hunter said. "It's pretty disturbing when you see that most states have an obesity prevalence."

Zavadsky said MedStar is responding to those statistics.

MedStar's new gross vehicle maximum weight is 12,300 pounds, compared to the 11,500 pounds maximum previously.

That means the ambulances can carry an additional 800 pounds.

It's an important figure, which takes into consideration the equipment, the paramedics and emergency medical technicians, the patient and a family member or other acquaintance.

"The switch to the heavier-duty chassis is both because of making enough capacity for the patients and for the equipment that we carry," Zavadsky said. "As medical technology changes, we need to add more equipment to the ambulance, and that adds to the weight."

He said all of their ambulances, which are modular dual axle, can cost $130,000 without equipment, and equipment can tack on an additional $30,000 to $50,000.

"A cardiac monitor alone costs $20,000," he said.

Zavadsky said other changes are being made to accommodate people who, through the years, have become wider, heavier and even taller.

The company has several strong winches to move plus-sized patients in and out of the ambulance. A larger stretcher can carry patients up to 850 pounds.

Strap extenders can be attached to existing buckles to hold the patients securely, "just like you have on an airplane -- the same type of principle," Zavadsky said.

EMT safety

MedStar spokeswoman Suzy Miller said the company is proud of its new equipment and "is always looking for what's on the horizon."

"The world seems built for what's average," Miller said. "However, MedStar has a responsibility to care for the safety and dignity of all our patients, even when one size doesn't fit all."

In addition to obvious benefits, the larger ambulances offer a smoother ride.

The changes are not only helping the patients, but the paramedics and EMTs as well.

Zavadsky said that heavier patients just add to the dangers of their profession.

"Emergency medical workers have a high workers comp rate," he said. "They suffer from back injuries, knee injuries, needle sticks and a host of other problems. It's a very dangerous profession."

MedStar will not charge an additional fee to offset the upgrade.

"We don't feel that's appropriate," Zavadsky said.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

If corn subsidies were to stop, would we see a plateau of obesity?

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

I don't think so - I think the bigger problem is portion sizes

[^_^ 5,021]

The 'regular' portion of fries at Five Guys is HUGE! I've never even ordered the large, I suspect that would be enough fries for a week.

[Stanley Hermosill 1]

I think it's very hard to peg this problem, like most problems, down to one specific cause. Society is so complex, there are many feedback loops involved. At the end of the day, it's short-term thinking vs long term, and when people feel hopeless, the think in the short term, which leads them to eat unhealthy foods that provide short-term pleasure at cost of long term health risk. The best solution? Widespread public awareness (like the anti-smoking campaign), plus healthy, CHEAP alternatives.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

one thing I have noticed at my gym is that when a lot of really overweight people decide it's time to start exercising they never really push themselves.....walking on the treadmill at level 1 for 45 minutes is good for you but it's not really going to shift the weight

[OnMyWayID 1,489]

Very sad to see results of our eating habits. I have a friend that works for a company that installs medical equipment. They have had to change out the tables in the MRI machines beacuse they were only rated to 400 pounds... I also notice when I go to the doctor that the patient chairs in the back office are gigantic.

On the "plus" side we are no longer the fattest nation on the planet - We lost that title last year to Australia.

Edited March 1, 2011 by OnMyWayID

[Tim/Mav 305]

This is Funny! I needed a laugh... I get in trouble with My Finace' for not eating enough. When her Nanay cooked a big meal I only ate a few bites but the food was good. I'm used to eating very little. I'm 6' "1" and 138 lbs. When she asked me Online what I ate today. Oh, an Avacodo or something. Even though I'm USC I never did eat alot. Never could gain weight either. Americans have a FAT Diet. They just do. People are fat here in the USA. A typical order at McDonalds from a USC is : A Big Mac, Large Order of Fries and a LARGE DIET COKE. LOL..

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

The diet coke apparently makes it all okay

[one...two...tree 2,762]

If corn subsidies were to stop, would we see a plateau of obesity?

Corn in our diets (it's in friggin everything, from corn fed chickens to corn fed beef, pork and even fish) appears to be a big contributor. And not just any corn, but GMO corn, where the starch of the corn has been modified to be the largest source of caloric weight.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

If all else fails, we can import the appropriate equipment from Canada.