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Fallon County EMS reports stretcher failure on new ambulance; crews order inspections and parts
Summary
County EMS staff described a stretcher failure on a recently delivered ambulance that slowed a response; staff and mechanics are testing cots, swapping beds between rigs, and pursuing repairs and tires for other ambulances.
Britney, a Fallon County EMS staff member, told the commission during public comment that crews discovered the stretcher (cot) on ambulance 23 failed to hold the patient during a recent call, costing the team “2, 3 minutes” while they swapped equipment.
County EMS staff said the cot’s lift would not engage when crews pushed the control button, and it dropped twice while being extended. Britney said Shryker technicians recently replaced the large floor battery and the lift worked for a time but that the problem recurred. She described a stopgap in which crews retrieved a second ambulance but said the delay likely reduced the patient’s chance of survival.
Why this matters: equipment that fails during loading can delay patient care and endanger patients and crews. Commissioners and staff treated the report as operational — staff planned immediate hands‑on tests and a parts swap to isolate the fault.
County staff described steps under way. Britney and Rod said they would swap beds between rigs to see whether the problem moves with the bed or remains with the vehicle head unit. Staff reported that the bed uses a removable battery (like a cordless‑tool battery) that must recognize the bed is locked into place before it will charge; earlier charging and locking inconsistencies were reported. The county’s mechanic, Carl, and representatives were scheduled to check the bed and perform voltage tests on the bed battery. Staff also said a manufacturer diagnostic and a computer hookup previously returned no fault, even after a big battery replacement on the floor had temporarily restored correct operation.
Commissioners and staff discussed related maintenance items for the EMS fleet. Britney raised additional mechanical concerns about ambulance 17 — loud diesel exhaust entering the cab and rear box, and tires that were worn and awaiting wheel weights and a tire‑machine vendor. Staff said they plan to swap bed units and test interchangeability between rigs, confirm whether batteries are charging, and check voltage at test leads. A county mechanic and vendor contacts are scheduled to inspect exhaust and muffler fit, wheel weights and to coordinate tire replacement; staff reported waiting on wheel‑weight parts and a tire‑machine quote that could delay a full repair by a week or two.
Ending: Commissioners asked staff to follow up with service vendors and return with a short written status update. The county’s immediate objective is to identify whether the cot failure is caused by the bed unit (and its replaceable battery) or by the vehicle head unit and to ensure other ambulances can be returned to full readiness while repairs continue.
