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| -Short Attention Span Theater- |
| 700-Pound Body Poses Problem For Coroner |
| 2004-03-11 |
| Officials at the Alameda County Coroner’s office are having a difficult time moving the body of a 700-pound Oakland man, who died of natural causes Tuesday night, according to coroner’s spokesman Dan Apperson. Apperson said officials had to use a crane to remove the man’s body from his home at 18th and West streets. His body remains inside the coroner’s van because they cannot get the large corpse out, Apperson said. Officials are trying to make arrangements to transport the man, whose identity has not yet been released, directly to a mortuary, Apperson said. As an EMT, this is a terrible issue. We’re buying new stair chairs in order to be able to attempt to carry our 300 lb. patients. These chairs have a set of tracks that rest on the stairs, helping to absorb some of the weight load. Rural Metro locally has a "Fatmobile" which is designed to transport the big ones. It has a ramp into the back, an appliance dolly and no gurney. In Seattle, I believe, their "Fatmobile" actually has a winch in the back to crank the patient up the ramp. I’ve used as many as six people to lift a patient into my ambulance on our gurney. And he got stuck between the side rails of the gurney because so much of him oozed over the edge. Getting him off the gurney at the emergency department was tough. |
| Posted by:Chuck Simmins |
| #11 Apparently these guys haven't seen the "dead horse with rigor in Dean Wormer's office" in Animal House? Cheddar's on the money |
| Posted by: Frank G 2004-3-11 7:50:04 PM |
| #10 I'm with ya', Chuck. We've had to call the fire department (2 engines or a ladder truck, in some cases) more than once both to get them out of the house and to unload at the hospital. And God help us if they're on the second floor. The stretchers won't hold more than 500 pounds, and shouldn't hold that much. It's a real problem, and grossly obese people are more likely to have major medical problems, so are more likely to call us than to go to the hospital by private vehicle. I'm overweight myself, but that's just ridiculous. |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2004-3-11 7:28:27 PM |
| #9 remember in Seven when they find the first victim and Fatso is face down in the Chef Boyardi |
| Posted by: Cheddarhead 2004-3-11 7:04:42 PM |
| #8 Chain Saw? Cheddarhead remember to use a high rez. B&W for the fotos, and keep them tasteful. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-3-11 5:49:57 PM |
| #7 Granted I need to go on a diet but the guys already dead. Just fire up the chain saw, trust me he won't feel a thing |
| Posted by: Cheddarhead 2004-3-11 4:59:05 PM |
| #6 Doesn't the Army have some surplus trucks available? (Fred, I have to hit the diet too....). |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2004-3-11 4:41:40 PM |
| #5 why should they have too buy a bigger fat mobile? Maybe some of these fatasses should consider losing some weight |
| Posted by: smokeysinse 2004-3-11 3:32:26 PM |
| #4 700-pound Oakland man, who died of natural causes I don't know what he died of, but it damn sure wasn't natural. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-3-11 1:06:20 PM |
| #3 Maybe the Alameda County coroner's office should invest in a slightly bigger vehicle. My suggestion? One of these. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2004-3-11 12:42:04 PM |
| #2 C'mon, learn something from programmers -- break the problem into smaller tasks, then deal with it piece by piece. |
| Posted by: Robert Crawford 2004-3-11 12:38:02 PM |
| #1 Alright. Alright. I'll go on a diet... |
| Posted by: Fred 2004-3-11 12:35:27 PM |