Canada's first ambulance for obese patients

When will Taiwan order one?

TORONTO (Reuters) - Obese patients in Calgary, Alberta, are the first in Canada to have a new ambulance on call specially modified to move them in a dignified and safe way while protecting paramedics from injury.

The so-called “bariatric response team” is called in when the patient weighs between 400 pounds (181 kilograms) and 1,000 pounds (453 kg).

“There’s a high risk of injury for our staff… obviously, the larger the patient, the higher the probability is,” Paul Lapointe, public education officer at Calgary’s emergency medical services, said on Thursday.

The ambulance has C$30,000 worth ($27,915) of modifications by a California-based company, including a hydraulic lift.
news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070621/wl_ … besity_col

Is a chainsaw to cut a hole in the wall included?

Paid for by the tax on cigarettes.

And booze.
<“BahSterds!”>
Actually, I think Alberta has the lowest taxation rate in that whole sanctimonious supposed nation <“gufffaw”>…

Anyone seen a photo of this wide hydraulic machine?