New Stretcher Can Isolate Wounded on Battlefields.

• Author: Mayfield, Mandy
• Position: NEWS BRIEFS

* TAMPA, Fla. -- A patient isolation stretcher that was created in collaboration with Special Operations Command is currently undergoing testing at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Peke Safety, which provides equipment for first responded, worked with SOCOM to develop the device, which was dubbed the "MilPod." The stretcher has a single-piece inflatable frame covered by a clear envelope that inflates in about nine seconds and creates a portable chemical- and biohazard-ready isolation chamber, Peter Cooper, vice president of marketing and partner at Peke Safety told National Defense during the annual Special Operations Forces Industry Conference. The lining is removable and can be discarded after use, which helps maximize its efficiency, he noted.

"You can replace the bag without having to throw everything away, which is another important cost element," he said.

The MilPod comes with both an air filtration system and a portable cooling unit, giving the stretcher the ability to supply positive or negative pressure throughout the chamber for up to 10 hours, he noted.

"This allows them to put a contaminated patient into a safe zone to protect the medic and the patient--as well as the infrastructure--so you can reduce the decontamination costs of vehicles and aircraft," Cooper said.

The stretcher can also be used to aid burn victims with its "positive mode," cooling and humidity systems, he noted. "Positive mode" is designed to help prevent...