Stretchers used by emergency medical responders cannot be effectively maneuvered in winter weather conditions.
Optimizing Patient Transport in Inclement Conditions (OPTIC)
In an emergency medical situation, time is everything. When a patient is in critical condition, it is imperative that they receive care as quickly as possible, for example in the case of a cardiac emergency. The ability to quickly and efficiently move a patient from their home, to an ambulance, and then to a hospital is crucial in ensuring that patients receive this prompt medical attention. Every minute wasted during the travel from home to the hospital could be the difference between life and death.
“It's definitely a problem. It’s like dragging an airplane. There's been calls where me and [Evelyn] could have done the call, but we couldn't move the patient because it was so snowy. So we had to call the fire department.”
Lisa Impey (EMS)
Winner of the Jackson Engineering Award
Awarded to the ENGS 21 project which best demonstrated the engineering design process. ENGS 21 is a class which gives groups of 4-5 a general theme in which to find a problem to solve over the course of 10 weeks. This includes need finding, working with users, prototyping, and even a business plan.