Fire crews called to help London Ambulance move obese patient (From Croydon Guardian)
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Fire crews called to help London Ambulance move obese patient from Kenley home
11:50am Monday 20th August 2012 in Local news
The woman was taken to hospital from Kenley in an ambulance similar to this
Fencing had to be dismantled and metal railings removed to rescue a woman weighing more than 30 stone from her Kenley home this morning.
Firefighters from Purley fire station and a fire rescue unit from Croydon were called to Garston Lane, to assist London Ambulance at about 1.55am.
The crew supplied a basket stretcher, which was used to move the lady from her property into a special bariactric ambulance, before she was taken to hospital.
London Ambulance have three bariactric vehicles which are used to ferry obese patients.
The vehicles are equipped with double-width trolley stretchers and can also have hoists and special lifting cushions.
One firefighter said: "After dismantling fencing and cutting metal railing to create a space, we were able to get her out.
"We used a specialist stretcher, the lady had relatives with her and was happy and smiling, there was a bit of banter."
