Ferno-Washington "Emergency Stretchers"

Nicholas Studer

PCS Elected Director 2022-2025
Also known as "folding stretchers (or cots)," "auxiliary stretchers," "litters," I am talking about the compact stretchers carried in addition to the ambulance/combination's primary gurney/cot.

Like the "One Man" cots, this topic has also served up its share of misinformation and confusion. The model numbers have changed to accomodate consolidation of products, and of course product updates.

The following come from the 1963 F-W "Full Line" catalog. The summary is thus:

Model 9: Basic folding stretcher with wheels/posts and an elevating head. In 1963, it was designed for station wagon ambulances. Still sold today (http://www.fernoems.com/en/products...-Adjustable-Backrest-Emergency-Stretcher.aspx) A modified variant is used in today's station-wagon equivalent - civilian helicopter ambulances. (http://www.fernoaviation.com/en/Products/Stretcher Solutions/litters/Model-9.aspx)
Model 10: Folding stretcher with four "U" legs. No longer produced.
Model 11: Folding stretcher with wheels/posts. Still sold today - (http://www.fernoems.com/en/products...hers/model-11-emergency-stretcher-wheels.aspx).
Model 12: Basic folding stretcher with no wheels/posts/legs. Still sold today - (http://www.fernoems.com/en/products...-stretchers/Model-12-Emergency-Stretcher.aspx)
Model 15: Adjustable length stretcher otherwise similar to the Model 12. No longer produced.
Model 104: Similar in purpose and function to Model 9, but telescopes in length and the head-end folds over onto the foot end for storage. Available with either four wheels (Model 104-S), folding legs/wheels similar to Model 11 (Model 104), and with non-folding legs/wheels aimed at station wagon ambulances (Model 104-L). These appear to have been discontinued - my guess is due to the similarity to the still-available Model 9.
Model 107: Combination stair chair/folding stretcher. Still sold today with a few variants now available (http://www.fernoems.com/en/products...rs/Ferno-107-Combination-Stretcher-Chair.aspx)
Model 108: "Army-type" pole-style litter. Still sold today with a few variants now available. (http://www.fernoems.com/en/products...pole-stretchers/Model-108-Pole-Stretcher.aspx)

The Model 106-U, 106-W, and 106 were "Slimline Hinge" variants of the Model 10, 11, and 12 respectively. It appears the "deluxe hinge" became standard sometime in the 1960s and they took over the original model numbers.

There was also a Model 106-E that appears to fold along it's width, but is unclear. A similar product is still sold today as the Model 12-C, which splits in the middle like the Model 65 Scoop Stretcher introduced sometime after this catalog was made. http://www.fernoems.com/en/products...tretchers/Model-12-C-Emergency-Stretcher.aspx

Please note - neoprene was new for 1963, and black was the standard color. I've seen it mentioned in the past that this was a "government" color or similar - that is not true.

Maybe Kurt Arends can avail us with the corresponding section from the 1970s catalog he recently acquired on eBay! :)
 

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I just picked up a Model 104 recently. I will scan some pages and add them...... but not tonight. Tuckered out.
 
Great information here, thanks so much for posting!

I'm in need of a matching vintage set of the model 108 (non-folding) stretchers for my 1971 Stoner Suburban just in case anyone has some cached away and are ready to part with.
 
I thin if you check stoner came with 3 number 12s, at least in there 70 flier that what they say. they would be the same color as the mattress on the gurney
 

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I thin if you check stoner came with 3 number 12s, at least in there 70 flier that what they say. they would be the same color as the mattress on the gurney
Makes sense, the third would be used for a potential patient on the squad bench. I was thinking of 2 only for the purposes of displaying the hanging positions.

Ed, I've never seen that flyer and it's of great interest to me. Is there a way I can get ahold of the other pages?
 
Michal pm sent. so what what were the Cots offered in 63 from FW? what am I missing the 10-11-12 looks to be the exact same as that 106 series down to the options.
 
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Is anyone familiar with anything manufactured recently like the Model 8? I have heard those are extremely handy for staircase type removals, but not sure I have ever seen one...
 
Is anyone familiar with the FERNO model 12-E emergency stretcher? I can't find a photo or a thing about it on the web but there is a current model 12-C that is the right size to fit into my Stoner Suburban where the 12-E was called out as original standard equipment.


 
Michal pm sent. so what what were the Cots offered in 63 from FW? what am I missing the 10-11-12 looks to be the exact same as that 106 series down to the options.

I've already covered the "One-Man" mortuary and ambulance cots. I will detail the standard mortuary and ambulance cots at a later date.

As noted above: "The Model 106-U, 106-W, and 106 were "Slimline Hinge" variants of the Model 10, 11, and 12 respectively. It appears this "deluxe hinge" became standard sometime in the 1960s and they took over the original model numbers."

...I'm in need of a matching vintage set of the model 108 (non-folding) stretchers for my 1971 Stoner Suburban just in case anyone has some cached away and are ready to part with.

The Model 108 (later just Model 12) folds in half. It differs from its colleagues by not having any other feature like wheels, rings, etc.

Is anyone familiar with the FERNO model 12-E emergency stretcher? I can't find a photo or a thing about it on the web but there is a current model 12-C that is the right size to fit into my Stoner Suburban where the 12-E was called out as original standard equipment.

That flyer was made by a distributor, not F-w. Thus, it could be a typo for all we know. Further, it is about 7 years newer than the catalog I posted. The "E" could mean anything, but typically F-W used/uses letters to denote so small modification to the same product. e.g. The Model 107C has wheels/posts in different positions from the original design. The original 10/11/12, 106 series, and later 10/11/12 will all fit your car. The 12-C is a breakaway variant, and while I don't have any further information - it would most likely have come after the Model 65 "Scoop Stretcher" which came out in the mid/late-1960s. While I have seen it in F-W's online catalog, I have not seen a vintage example nor ever one in person anyhow.

Perhaps Kurt Arends can avail us with the appropriate pages from his recently purchased 1970s F-W catalog? :D
 
We still use the FW #9

In British Columbia our service still uses the #9 as our auxiliary stretcher for all of our ambulances. This is the portable stretcher that we use for all airevac calls via fixed wing.

Thanks for the information.
 
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