Vegas EMTs respond to 75 calls from patients weighing more than 600 lbs. in last six months!

Must be all of the casino buffets that bring so many large-sized Americans to Vegas. Dear gawd...

Supersized ambulance hits the road in Vegas
Extra-wide patients require extra-large emergency vehicle

The Associated Press
Updated: 6:35 p.m. ET March 29, 2006

LAS VEGAS - A Las Vegas company is putting a new extra-large ambulance into service to handle extra-large patients.

American Medical Response calls the $250,000 rig its bariatric unit. It bought it at the request of the Clark County Fire Department.

The vehicle looks like a regular ambulance, but it’s extra-wide, and has a larger gurney, a winch and ramps capable of loading up to 1,600 pounds.

A company official said that in the last six months, AMR has handled 75 calls involving patients that weighed more than 600 pounds.

He said moving someone that large in a regular ambulance poses safety problems for the patient — and for paramedics and ambulance crew members.

© 2006 MSNBC.com