Dare County EMS recently received its first Stryker Xpedition powered stair chair thanks to a generous donation made by Dare County resident James Spruill. Stair chairs are designed to safely transport alert patients up or down stairs. The stair chair is a critically useful piece of equipment on an ambulance due to the number of homes in Dare County that are elevated and have exterior or interior stairs. The Stryker Xpedition stair chair has powered tracks that enable the device to do the heavy work of moving a seated patient up or down the stairs, reducing lifting injuries to first responders.
Spruill recently completed an Emergency Medical Technician course at College of The Albemarle’s Dare County campus. During his coursework, Spruill rode along with Dare County EMS for the course’s clinical requirements. During his ride-alongs, Spruill experienced firsthand the difficulties faced by first responders when moving patients out of our area homes.
Dare County EMS previously used traditional chairs that had to be lifted, in addition to the patient’s weight, to ascend or descend the stairs. After witnessing this, Spruill discussed the challenges with Dare County EMS Director Chief Jennie Collins, who explained that the new powered stair chairs would be requested in future budgets.
In an incredible show of generosity, Spruill offered to donate the funds to begin the purchase of a Stryker Xpedition powered stair chair for Dare County EMS. This device was purchased with the donated funds and will be placed in service on one of the units at Dare County EMS Station 1 in Kill Devil Hills. As additional funding becomes available, Dare County EMS will purchase additional Xpedition powered stair chairs, eventually outfitting every ambulance and Quick Response Vehicle with these invaluable devices.
Dare County EMS is grateful and incredibly touched by the generosity shown by Spruill. EMS crews are excited to begin the use of this device to make the work of delivering high-quality patient care easier on the responders’ backs, legs and arms, reducing injuries to those who are taking care of others in need.