Question for ambulance crews

[Trigger Mike]

The other night I had to call an ambulance for my mom.  Her bedroom door is 30 inches so they couldn’t get the stretcher in so had to walk her to it in the hall.  
 

I had a guy come price how much it’d be to widen the bedroom door to 36 inches so they can get through next time but then he asked if they could make the turn into the room.  The hall is 39 inches wide all other door ways are also 39 inches.  
 

how wide of a hallway is needed to turn an ambulance stretcher?  
 

She is home and better but she lost so much blood from a torn esophagus that she needed a transfusion of a pint of blood.  The ambulance crew was great and Called it that she needed a transfusion right away and bypasses the local hospital and flew her to a bigger one but the hospital waited 3 days before giving her the blood.  

[Rye Miles #13621]

I'm surprised the ambulance crew didn't walk her or carry her to the stretcher themselves instead of letting you do it!

[Sedalia Dave]

I'm betting the issue was not being able to make the turn and not the width of the door.  

[Trigger Mike]

How wide is the stretcher in an ambulance?

[WOLFY]

They didn’t have a stair-chair?  They’re handy and carried on all SFFD medic units.  I doubt it’s more than a couple feet wide.

[WOLFY]

8 minutes ago, Trigger Mike said:

How wide is the stretcher in an ambulance?

Backboards are under 18” wide.  We’d carry them down to the ambulance gurney using a backboard (most of the time).

[watab kid]

when i had to call the ambulance [my wife called , i was on the floor of the bathroom] they got me through a 26" door opening [ my house was built in 63] and down a 36" stair with one of those chairs , im not going to alter the house anymore but if i ever get to move [and we want to] it will be single level with H-cap doors and passages , im small it was easy to move me but i see where moving some of my friends might not be as easy , 

 

widening your opening might require an extended header but if the corridor is sufficient it can be done , i get why you might want to do it , 

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783]

My wife broke her ankle a couple of years ago in a bedroom upstairs. (tripped on a dog bed!). No room for a gurney upstairs, so they carried her down by hand to a gurney waiting at the bottom of the stairs. 

[Sarge]

They could have backboarded her and carried her through the 30 inch door.  Once had to backboard a 300+ pound woman and carry her upright down a spiral staircase.  

[Trigger Mike]

The gurney is bulky and unwieldy so I was afraid widening the door won’t help much, wanted to be sure as I likely will have this come up again 

[Lawdog Dago Dom]

We had put people in kitchen chairs and carry them down to the stretcher.

But this was in the 70's.

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783]

1 hour ago, Trigger Mike said:

The gurney is bulky and unwieldy so I was afraid widening the door won’t help much, wanted to be sure as I likely will have this come up again 

I suggest you have someone from the EM services in her area meet you at her house to review a plan. 

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

I have, unfortunately, had to ride the red limousine seven times in the last year.  The last time I fell on my left side with my back against the garage wall and my chest touching the front of my car.  (Just as a public service, there is NO PLACE ON THE FRONT OF AN IMPALA TO GET  GRIP ON!)  The space from the top of my head to the side of the steps into the house was around fifteen inches.  The gurney couldn't get to me so a lady EMT gently lifted my head and chest while another EMT gently slid me out far enough so she could get the keys out of my pocket and they could back my car out and get me on the gurney.

 

I love my EMTs, but have driven myself the twelve miles to the ER a dozen or so times and had my wife drive me over twice, and a friend has taxied me over twice as a well.

 

And for those who missed me the last nine days, it's because they hauled me over there again, put me back in action and released me about this time yesterday.

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

50 minutes ago, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said:

And for those who missed me the last nine days, it's because they hauled me over there again, put me back in action and released me about this time yesterday.

Hey 4T  you need to stay away from that place.  Glad you are back home!

[Trigger Mike]

Goodness gracious.  Makes you want to just stay still in your chair doesn’t it.  Please be careful 

[WOLFY]

That model of stair-chair is actually on sale (under $350).  Prolly substantially cheaper than widening that door.

[Buckshot Bob]

Is there enough room to put double doors? My parents bedroom is set up with them. I believe they did it just for the look but now I can see some practically to them 

[Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438]

8 hours ago, Buckshot Bob said:

Is there enough room to put double doors? My parents bedroom is set up with them. I believe they did it just for the look but now I can see some practically to them 

Just finishing an addition to our house, including master suite.  Most interior doorways are double pocket doors; exterior doorways are French patio doors or double width sliders.  Like 40 Rod, I've had too many dimensional challenges trying to get to the ambulance.

 

LL

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

I'm glad to be back.  I had a period of time where I earned my black belt in falling down, but I'm over it now (he said with crossed fingers). but I'm a 1942 model and almost no one makes parts for that series any more.  I love my EMT crew (five minutes down the road) and my ER crew at the VA, and all the rest that have been there when I needed them.  I have a daughter who would have been a good "Hat" (DI) in the Corps.  She bullied me into getting a Life Alert system.  Trust me when I say I would probably be dead if not for them.  I've had to retire a lot of my false pride over the last five years or so.  Swallow yours and consider a Life Alert or something similar if you're getting old, frail, etc.

 

Kind of like carrying a gun and putting fire extinguishers around the house:  You may never need them but you'll be mighty grateful if you have one when you DO need it.

 

You're welcome.