Hello from St. Louis

[toker73]

I'm a paramedic crew chief for the St. Louis Fire Department. I was wandering if I could get some information from other medics about what kind of stretchers and 12 lead monitors other services use. Thank you in advance for any replies.

[medic27205]

We use Medtronic Lifepak 12 monitors. Like them so far.

Robin

[HuskerMedic]

We use Stryker EZ cots (the ones where the wheels fold up automatically as you push the cot into the ambulance) and LifePak 12's w/12 lead capabilities. This is at my regular job (FF/Paramedic fire based EMS transport).

We use Stryker MX cots (the ones where someone has to pick up the wheels before the cot is pushed into the ambulance) and Zoll M-Series monitors (these particular ones don't have 12 lead, but it can be done) at my part-time job (Paramedic at a private service doing mainly interfacility transfers).

I like the EZ cots better, although they seem to require more maintenance/repair (caveat:the cots at the FD probably see more rough use). They can be easily operated by only one person; the other always takes two (at least with a patient on board).

I probably lean toward the Lifepak 12's over the Zolls, although I think they're both good machines and I'd take either in a pinch. The things I like about the Lifepaks are that they have larger screens that can display more information (i.e. several different leads or capnography waveform) at one time and they have two batteries (a built in battery backup). The thing I like about the Zolls are they are less bulky and more compact and just seem easier to handle. I do, however, hate the little printer tray that the Zolls use.