It’s a heavy-duty sign of the times — on wheels, with a siren.

London paramedics are rolling out a new super-sized ambulance to keep up with a more hefty population.

“We have people in this city who weigh over 1,000 pounds,” said Scott Simpson a paramedic with Middlesex London EMS. “That’s the extreme, but we have dozens that weigh 500 or 600 pounds.”

So-called “bariatric” ambulances are in emergency fleets in several U.S. and Canadian cities, but London is one of the first Ontario centres to add them.

At about $150,000, the ambulance is $20,000 more than a standard model.

It’s also 15 cm wider and has a motorized lift to get patients inside.

Middlesex London EMS managers decided to buy special equipment like the ambulance and a power cot because the number of obese patients is increasing, said John Prno, deputy chief of operations.

“We’re averaging three a week now that are 500, 700 and 800 pounds.”

Paramedics can hurt their backs when lifting patients, especially if they’ve fallen in hard-to-reach areas. The risk increases with heavier patients, Simpson said.

Often, paramedics call in firefighters or other paramedic crews to help lift heavy patients. Even with the power cot, tactics to get heavy patients onto an ambulance involve using a “manta sheet.” It’s a flat vinyl sheet with handles, designed for several people to carry an obese patient.

The new ambulance will be used for patients heavier than 400 lbs and those with special equipment.

“It’s great that large institutions are adjusting to the needs of their customers, it’s just too bad we have to,” said Dr. Christopher Mackie, London’s medical officer of health.

“We’re seeing impacts across all sectors. Ambulances have to be bigger, airplanes need (bigger) seats” and even hospitals are having to adjust with larger beds, he said.?

jennifer.obrien@sunmedia.ca