Recently I picked up the first season DVD set of the old Streets of San Francisco TV series starring Karl Malden and Michael Douglas. I watched the series as a kid and don't think I've seen an episode of it in a couple of decades. So I was a bit startled to see that when an ambulance was called for in a scene they would use a step-van style ambulance with a canvas stretcher and no ambulance cot as one might expect.
The step vans were equipped with a sliding tray-like device that appeared to be padded and seemed to be on rollers. The ambulance attendants would carry the injured person to the ambulance on the stretcher, which was simply two poles and canvas, then hoist the patient onto the tray device which would then be pushed into the ambulance on its rollers. Not a Ferno cot it sight!
Does anyone know if this was an accurate portrayal of ambulance service in San Francisco in the early 1970's? I've watched two episodes so far and both featured a step-van ambulance with a canvas stretcher.
The step vans were equipped with a sliding tray-like device that appeared to be padded and seemed to be on rollers. The ambulance attendants would carry the injured person to the ambulance on the stretcher, which was simply two poles and canvas, then hoist the patient onto the tray device which would then be pushed into the ambulance on its rollers. Not a Ferno cot it sight!
Does anyone know if this was an accurate portrayal of ambulance service in San Francisco in the early 1970's? I've watched two episodes so far and both featured a step-van ambulance with a canvas stretcher.