Chippewa Falls firefighter/paramedic David Patten moved a new hydraulic cot Monday by pushing a few buttons on the side of the machine. The new system glides in and out of the back of an ambulance, much like a drawer, with no lifting by workers required.
“It saves our backs,” Patten said. “These are fantastic. It makes it a lot easier to get people in and out.” The new system glides in and out of the back of an ambulance, much like a drawer, with no lifting by workers required. “It saves our backs,” Patten said. “These are fantastic. It makes it a lot easier to get people in and out.” The new power cot system — which costs about $24,000 each — was installed in the newest ambulance in the Chippewa Falls Fire Department fleet last week, and it went into service for the first time on Friday, said fire Chief Mike Hepfler. The total cost to buy two power cot systems for their ambulances, and refurbish four existing cots, is about $58,000.