A Safer Way to Lift Patients

A growing concern in the EMS and fire professions is the long term health and safety of employees.

To foster growth in this wrinkle of the job, Graham Medical has developed the MegaMover Select.

A new twist on an old classic, the MegaMover Select provides its users with more handles and more options for hand placement, making it easier to lift patients.

Stephen Rawson, captain of the health and wellness division of the City of Renton Fire and Emergency Services Department in Renton, WA, says the product can have a big impact on the fire and EMS industries.

“In fire services, we’re in crowded homes sometimes, encountering tight conditions and big patients,” Rawson says. “When you have to lift someone through areas that are tight, it’s tough and people can get hurt.”

Rawson says the MegaMover Select makes that task simpler. The various handles positioned throughout the product make it more versatile and help avoid heavy lift-and-twist situations when going through doorways. People can be positioned in different spots on the transport unit, such as having someone in front pulling while people behind lift, to avoid being squished in tight quarters, such as a hallway.

The MegaMover Select’s handles are scalable and allow people to lift from different positions. Instead of straining to lift one side higher, the users can switch to one of the handles higher up on the product.

Rawson says the product has been tested in a number of different environments, including by police, firefighters and paramedics. There was very little pushback from the 345 police officers and paramedics who tested the product, and most appreciated the new design.

Along with creating a safer workplace, the product can save departments money, Rawson says.

“It lessens the cost on fire services for on the job injuries along with helping members have healthy retirements,” he says.

To learn more about the MegaMover Select and other products, visit grahammedical.com.