A demonstration of the new stretcher system recently purchased by Lyme Ambulance Association.

The Lyme Ambulance Association (LAA) announced last week that they have recently purchased and placed into service the latest in stretcher technology, the Stryker Power Pro stretcher and the Stryker Power Load system.

This technology has been installed in both ambulances and will allow the ambulance crews to safely load and unload patients without the lifting required by the old manual stretchers. These stretchers are the most widely used stretchers in the United States because of the way they reduce injury to ambulance crews and provide for moving patients safely.

The new stretcher system facilitates moving a patient into an ambulance.

The LAA an independent organization, which depends on a yearly mailing and donations for its operating funds and does not receive any funds from the town, was unable to afford this purchase until recently.

Thanks to a large donation from the estate of Trudy Emerson, a lifelong resident of Lyme, and a recent donation from Lyme resident Sandy Mulligan that covered the entire cost of one of the stretchers and the loading system, the LAA was able finally to purchase this technology.

Without community support such as this, the LAA would be unable to continue as it has in the past and would probably become an expensive line item on the town budget.

The LAA is one of the last ambulance associations in the state of Connecticut that does not charge a fee for its services and whose staff is entirely volunteer.

The LAA hopes that this new addition to its equipment will help attract new volunteers to staff the ambulances. Attracting and retaining volunteers is a continuing process and a major challenge to the organization.

The LAA states that unless it can maintain staff, it will be unable to continue to  provide its current services.  For more information about Lyme Ambulance Association or if you are interested in volunteering for and/or donating to the Association, visit their website