Ambulance District Seeks New High-Tech Stretchers

The board of directors of the North Jefferson County Ambulance District (NJCAD) approved a plan Monday to solicit bids for new high-tech powered stretchers.

Stryker EMS battery-powered hydraulic stretchers are estimated to cost about $13,000 each, or a total of about $52,000 for four stretchers. An additional $10,000 is proposed to cover a five-year maintenance and repair agreement. However, the board agreed to seek bids from other firms in addition to Stryker that carry the equipment.

NJCAD Chief John M. Scullin said the reason for the proposed purchase is to relieve the strain on paramedics who often must transport heavy and overweight patients.

"When a stretcher is on the ground and you have to squat to pick it up, there's just a whole lot less strain with a power stretcher. It eliminates bending and lifting," Scullin said. "This just makes it much easier to just push a button to ease someone up."

In other action, the board also unanimously passed new guidelines for the district to write off ambulance fees for certain patients.

Under the new guidelines, the district will not attempt to collect additional fees not covered by insurance from families of deceased patients, or for those who are incarcerated, bankrupt or on Medicaid. In additon, the district will write off payments for hardship cases, retired or full-time employees of NJCAD and their families, part-time NJCAD employees or any firefighter, police officer or dispatcher injured in the line of duty.

Scullin said the district makes every effort to work with those who are poor or are otherwise unable to pay an ambulance bill. Writing off an any other uncollectable payment is always an option, he said, if approved by the board. Scullin said an average charge for ambulance service is $650.

At Monday's meeting of the NJCAD board, it agreed to write off $14,613 in uncollected fees, a typical monthly amount.

"We write off that amount, over $10,000 usually, almost every month," Scullin said.