Atonement
February 16th, 2009, 09:40 PM
February 15, 2009
Article from: Australian Associated Press
FIVE new mega-lift ambulances to transport obese people to hospital are about to be rolled out across NSW to meet a growing demand for the vehicles.
NSW Health Minister John Della Bosca, who inspected the vehicles on Sunday, said 576 people needed the ambulances in 2008, compared with just 45 people in 2002.
He said two of the ambulances would operate in Sydney with the remaining three to go to the western, southern and northern parts of the state.
The ambulances, which cost $280,000 each, are mainly used to transport people who weigh more than 180 kilograms or whose girth is too large for a normal ambulance stretcher.
They are, however, multipurpose and can be used by medical retrieval teams and for counter terrorism operations.
In Queensland, emergency ambulances are to be fitted with in-vehicle navigation units.
The Queensland Ambulance Services (QAS) has a fleet of around 100 ambulances already equipped with navigation units, but a further $1 million will be spent to install satellite navigation units in all operational ambulances, Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts said today.
"This will ensure frontline paramedics have access to the latest satellite navigation technology to respond to life-threatening incidents,'' he said.
Mr Roberts said the installation of the navigation units would help the QAS as it strives to further enhance its response times, which already were among the best in Australia.
Primary (http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25057338-2702,00.html)
Article from: Australian Associated Press
FIVE new mega-lift ambulances to transport obese people to hospital are about to be rolled out across NSW to meet a growing demand for the vehicles.
NSW Health Minister John Della Bosca, who inspected the vehicles on Sunday, said 576 people needed the ambulances in 2008, compared with just 45 people in 2002.
He said two of the ambulances would operate in Sydney with the remaining three to go to the western, southern and northern parts of the state.
The ambulances, which cost $280,000 each, are mainly used to transport people who weigh more than 180 kilograms or whose girth is too large for a normal ambulance stretcher.
They are, however, multipurpose and can be used by medical retrieval teams and for counter terrorism operations.
In Queensland, emergency ambulances are to be fitted with in-vehicle navigation units.
The Queensland Ambulance Services (QAS) has a fleet of around 100 ambulances already equipped with navigation units, but a further $1 million will be spent to install satellite navigation units in all operational ambulances, Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts said today.
"This will ensure frontline paramedics have access to the latest satellite navigation technology to respond to life-threatening incidents,'' he said.
Mr Roberts said the installation of the navigation units would help the QAS as it strives to further enhance its response times, which already were among the best in Australia.
Primary (http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25057338-2702,00.html)