Obese patients get lift to hospital

Timaru fire crews helped move a 260kg woman for St John paramedics last week, one of about 10 such lifts each year.

Using a bariatric sheet with handles, firefighters lift patients to an ambulance and again from the ambulance into hospital.

Last Friday, firefighters had to call in another crew to a Timaru address to assist them move a woman weighing about 260kg.

Timaru Fire service station officer Trevor Karton said it was hard to gauge whether there were more obese people in the region in recent years, as the fire service only started assisting St John over the last 18 to 24 months.

Fire service acting assistant area manager Kevin Donaldson estimates, based on anecdotes, that crews are required for incidents involving the majorly overweight about 10 times a year in Timaru.

He said it was fortunate they had not had to deal with the issue when fighting a fire. If that scenario arose, more staff would be committed to that person, or protection from the fire put in place, he said.

‘‘It is hard on staff and we have to engage in lifting techniques because once you start moving the person you are committed.’’

Sometimes it was quite a complex situation, particularly if the patient had injuries, Donaldson said.

Usually one firefighter can lift or drag someone weighing up to 120kg unassisted. Moving an average size person down a stairwell could also be a challenge requiring more than one person to lift them.

St John territory manager South Canterbury Darryn Grigsby said it was a sensitive subject and the fire service assisted in a number of situations and different size patients, not just the large.

‘‘Very large people have specific health concerns and we need to ensure that their dignity and confidentiality is maintained, as we would for any patient.’’

Grigsby said the number of obese in South Canterbury was comparable to other parts of the country. ‘‘Their number has not increased, and neither are we attending to them more often.’’

Over time the weight of people had changed according to a South Canterbury District Health Board spokeswoman. The SCDHB has scales that can weigh up to 500kg and bariatric chair scales that can weigh people up to 200kg but neither were new, she said.

’’ As we purchase new equipment such as beds, toilet chairs, and operating tables we do take into account the need for them to be able to carry greater weights than previously.’’

The spokeswoman said the SCDHB dealt with some ‘‘very obese people’’ from time to time but did not collect data on the subject.