Enhanced emergency response vehicle designed for individuals of extreme weight - Reduced-size emergency vehicle designed for heavyweight individuals
In a significant development for emergency services in Frankfurt, Germany, a new special ambulance designed to transport severely obese patients has been unveiled. This new vehicle, hailed as a "quantum leap" by Thomas Müller-Witte, managing director and emergency paramedic of the German Red Cross (DRK), promises to provide a more humane and dignified response for these patients.
The new ambulance, which costs approximately 300,000 euros, is significantly more expensive than a standard ambulance, which typically costs around 240,000 euros. The extra cost is attributable to the need for reinforced stretchers, wider doors, stronger lifting equipment, specialized training for personnel, and larger medical equipment to accommodate obese patients. In many regions, the cost of specialized transport can be substantially higher—sometimes two to three times the price of a standard ambulance ride.
The new ambulance boasts a lifting platform that can lift up to 1,000 kilograms, an electrohydraulic stretcher that is height-adjustable, allowing obese patients to be transferred directly from the stretcher to the hospital bed, and room for an intensive care bed. It is also longer than a standard ambulance to allow emergency personnel to move around more easily.
The DRK pre-financed the new ambulance and will be refinanced by health insurance companies over the next ten years. According to available data, the old Frankfurt special ambulance, which cost approximately 85,000 euros for medical equipment and was deployed on average 0.7 times a day, was in operation for ten years and was deployed 3,000 times, traveling around 100,000 kilometers. The old ambulance will continue to be deployed in a less frequented rescue area in central Hesse.
The new ambulance will be in operation in Frankfurt and the surrounding area starting July 8. While no direct data from the German Red Cross or Thomas Müller-Witte was found regarding the cost comparison between the special ambulance and a standard ambulance in Frankfurt, contacting the German Red Cross Frankfurt branch or local emergency medical services would be the best approach for obtaining accurate cost details.
It is worth noting that the special ambulance is not always staffed but is always available for deployment. Six to eight firefighters are usually called in to assist with transport in the special ambulance. The new ambulance measures 7.30 meters in length, over two meters in width, and almost three meters in height.
In summary, the new special ambulance for obese and intensive care patients is a significant investment in Frankfurt's emergency services, promising to provide a more comfortable and dignified transport solution for severely obese patients. While the cost comparison with a standard ambulance is not currently available, it is clear that the new ambulance represents a substantial investment in the city's emergency services.
The significant investment in the new ambulance, designed for obese and intensive care patients, has been funded by the DRK and will be refinanced by health insurance companies over the next ten years. This state-of-the-art vehicle, equipped with a lifting platform, electrohydraulic stretcher, and room for an intensive care bed, also carries a hefty price tag, with costs significantly higher than that of a standard ambulance, due to the need for specialized training, equipment, and accommodation for medical-conditions associated with obese patients.
