Indianapolis and Westfield, IN - Today at the FDIC show, SafeGuard introduced the SafeGuard Transport™, the first cot-mounted restraint that safely transports children of a wide range of sizes, from 22 to 100 pounds. Developed in collaboration with Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, the product meets a currently un-served need and is proven effective through extensive crash testing. The product will be available through select distributors later in 2007.
Each year in the U.S., 6 million children are transported via ambulance. Ambulance cot-mounted child restraints currently on the market, while addressing storage and patient access issues, offer protection only for children weighing up to 40 pounds. Since there has been no safe ambulance restraint available for children over 40 pounds, emergency response workers have typically used cots outfitted with adult-sized restraints or simply seated these children in the arms of a parent during transport. In an ambulance crash, risks for serious injury increase greatly when the patient is not properly restrained.
The SafeGuard Transport is ambulance safety for kids. This innovative restraint folds out on the ambulance cot and moves with the backrest to accommodate multiple positions from horizontal to 70 degrees, allowing easy access to the child. One operation tightens the harness and adjusts the height, securing the child within seconds in a 5-point restraint. The lightweight SafeGuard Transport stows in space-limited storage areas, with color-coded webbing and snap hooks that make attachment to cots quick and easy. The seamless foam pad is impervious to body fluids and is designed to facilitate easy cleaning.
SafeGuard President and General Manager Steve Wallen noted the significance of the product in the industry. “We are excited to advance the state-of-the-art in transporting children who need medical attention,” he said. “The benefit to communities across the country will be a user friendly, safer system that addresses a critical need for EMTs.”
Dr. Marilyn Bull, Director of the Automotive Safety Program at Riley Hospital for Children, led the research project that preceded development of the SafeGuard Transport. “Presently, the vast majority of ambulance cots are equipped with harnesses designed for adults, resulting in an increased risk of injury to pediatric occupants in the event of a crash,” Dr. Bull explained. “Research conducted by IU Riley Hospital for Children has demonstrated the need for a more effective means of restraining children on ambulance cots. In response, SafeGuard, with assistance from IU Riley, has developed a versatile solution to more safely transport pediatric patients of a wide range of sizes.”
About SafeGuard
SafeGuard has been the leader in child passenger protection for more than 20 years and is the largest child seating safety products manufacturer in the world. With its own state-of-the-art crash test facility, in-house certified passenger safety technicians, and engineers who are experts in their field, SafeGuard is working to achieve one goal: to provide the most advanced protection for your child. For more information about the SafeGuard Transport, visit www.safeguardEMS.com, or call 800-985-3974.
About IMMI
SafeGuard and LifeGuard Technologies are divisions of IMMI, a world leader in occupant protection, based in Westfield, Indiana. The company produces hundreds of products for various sectors, including the commercial vehicle, fire/EMS, child seating and school bus industries. LifeGuard Technologies is best known in the fire industry for the RollTek® advanced rollover protection system for fire apparatus. IMMI is a privately held, international company that tests to U.S., European and Australian standards and is ISO 9001:2000 certified. For more information, visit imminet.com.