In an effort to reduce the number of injuries and amount of lost work time among its personnel, the Oxford Fire Department is purchasing some new equipment that will have machines, not muscles, lifting patients.

Last week, the township board voted 7-0 to approve the $138,989 purchase of four powered-ambulance cots and the corresponding power-loading systems for each of the fire department’s four ambulances.

Oxford is receiving a $21,000 discount on the equipment, which is made by Stryker, a Kalamazoo-based medical technology company.

Stryker’s ambulance cot utilizes a battery-powered hydraulic system to raise and lower it with the touch of a button. The power-loading system lifts and lowers the cot into and out of the ambulance.

This equipment is capable of lifting 870 pounds.

Scholz believes this new equipment will help prevent back and shoulder injuries among fire personnel.

“We’ve got an employee that’s been out since May on workman’s comp from a lifting injury,” the chief told township officials. “(He) probably won’t be back until at least February, possibly March.”

Scholz noted there have also been “a couple of employees that have had to go home (during) their shift because they sprained their back” while lifting.

The new equipment is expected to be a big help when it comes to handling severely obese patients.

Oxford firefighters have “encountered numerous bariatric patients” who are “causing a large risk of injury” to them, according to a Dec. 7 memo Scholz sent to the board.

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, the chief reported the department was called to help an ambulance company move a 610-pound Oxford man into his home.

“Our department had to respond with eight of us to help lift the cot, get it up into the house and then help get the patient into bed,” he said.

“Worst part about it, the next day, he had to go back to the hospital because of swelling (in his leg),” Scholz continued.

Unfortunately, the fire department had “limited personnel” available, so “less people” than the previous day ended up lifting the patient and loading him into the ambulance.

“The potential risk for injury is frightening,” Scholz wrote in his memo. “It is extremely difficult to lift these patients even with 6 (firefighters). We have an even greater hazard when lifting the cot into the back of the ambulance (where) only (a) limited (amount of) personnel can help because of the lack of room (inside).”

To cover the cost of installing the power-loading systems in the ambulances, the department will sell its four existing cots for $1,500 each to a company in New York.