By Brad Hicks / Staff Writer

In just 12 years, Kentucky’s obesity rate has doubled — and it’s quickly becoming a growing problem for Ambulance Inc. of Laurel County.

On Thursday, Ambulance Inc. asked the Laurel County Fiscal Court to help in purchasing equipment to transport obese patients.

Ambulance Inc. averages about 10,000 runs per year — and about 2,500 of these are for not just overweight, but obese patients, said James Hacker, CEO of Ambulance Inc.

Hacker said 2006 statistics give Kentucky the sixth highest percentage of obese people in the nation. He also said that from 1990 to 2002, the obesity rate doubled.

“It won’t be that long before it doubles again,” Hacker said. “It’s growing very rapidly.”

Ambulance Inc. requested $15,000 in aid from the fiscal court to help purchase three pieces of equipment — primarily the Ferno Pro-Flexx Cot, an electronic stretcher capable of lifting 700 pounds with the push of a button.

“If you can get them on the stretcher, it’ll do the lifting for you,” Hacker said.

“We’re just asking for one,” he said at the meeting. “This is a very important piece of equipment that would help tremendously. We need a larger stretcher. The biggest danger we have is the danger to the patients... A lot of times, when you’ve got someone that size, minutes count. We need it everyday.”

A normal stretcher, which costs around $3,000, can typically transport a maximum of 350 to 450 pounds, Hacker said. But that equipment simply isn’t sufficient for transporting some of Laurel’s larger patients.

“The best stretcher we’ve got is only rated for 450 to 500 pounds,” he said. “That’s not enough.”

Currently, Ambulance Inc. has six to eight stretchers that are breaking down, according to Hacker, because they have been pushed past the weight limits they can sustain on a regular basis. Hacker said transporting heavier patients has also led to paramedic injuries.

“We have about 15 injuries a year” (related to transporting obese patients), he said. “We’re already shorthanded on employees. We’ve already got people hurt and laid up.”

Recently, Ambulance Inc. of Laurel County had to retrofit one of its ambulance trucks to make the vehicle larger to allow for the transportation of larger patients. The back of the vehicle was also outfitted with a 2,500 pound winch, which will allow paramedics to “pull” obese patients into the back of the truck. Hacker said he is also seeking a ramp to mount on the back when needed.

Transportation of obese patients appears to be a problem throughout the Tri-County — Hacker said Ambulance Inc. often receives calls from Knox and Whitley counties to assist in transport because those agencies don’t have equipment necessary for the morbidly obese.

Other emergency service agencies have taken action to equip themselves for the transport of obese patients. Joe Bradshaw, program director for Air Evac, said the emergency helicopters that will take off from Air Evac’s Williamsburg base will have stronger engines and larger areas to carry larger patients.

“It’s the same airframe we flew before, but with a beefed up engine and transmission which allows us to lift just about any patient,” he said in a previous interview. “We aren’t limited on weight like we used to be. Before, you couldn’t fit larger people in the aircraft.”

Not only is Ambulance Inc. facing problems due to lack of equipment and staff, but they are also facing budget cuts and higher operating costs.

According to Hacker, the county previously provided Ambulance Inc. with $150,000 annually in budgeted funds. Last year, that figure was cut to $125,000, and this year was cut to $100,000.

Currently, the service spends around $4,000 per week in fuel costs alone. Hacker also said the Ambulance Inc. was provided with a building on American Greeting Card Road, but that building was sold by the county. Now Ambulance Inc. must rent a space from the Lily Volunteer Fire Department.

“Our run volumes are going up, but we’re getting less help,” Hacker said.

No action was taken at Thursday’s fiscal court meeting, and Hacker’s request for assistance was not forwarded on to the budget committee.

“It’s as if they don’t have any interest in it,” Hacker said.

While Laurel County Judge-Executive Lawrence Kuhl said he and the court would like to help Ambulance Inc. with the purchases, the budget for the 2008-09 fiscal year has already been approved and he’s not sure where extra funding would come from.

“If we had plenty of money, we wouldn’t hesitate at all,” Kuhl said. “I’ve got to find out where it’s going to come from.”

Kuhl said the county has had to make cut backs as well, and has to put its available funding to other expenditures first — such as legally-required purchases for the Laurel County Detention Center.

“There’s a dire need for that (equipment), there’s no doubt about that,” Kuhl said. “We’ll keep trying to help him. We haven’t gotten any new revenue.”

Hacker still implores the fiscal court for any help that can be offered.

“It’s gonna be catastrophic before long,” he said. “We’re just at the end of our rope. This is a service we need desperately. We just need help.”