Patient Transport Pioneer, 90, Dies in USA
posted 29th September 2009
FERNO, one of the world's leading forces in ambulance equipment and emergency response supplies, has announced the passing of the company's inspirational founder.
Richard H 'Dick' Ferneau, who became a pioneer in the field of patient transportation work, died at the age of 90 earlier this month.
Dick devoted his entire working life to the development of patient transportation, ambulance stretchers and emergency response equipment.
Ferneau began his career at the Washington Mortuary Supply Company and became General Manager there in the late 1940s.
Concerned with the physical strain to ambulance personnel in transporting patients, he pioneered the use of aluminum tubing rather than steel to build effective stretchers. His work set the standard for many of the practices followed worldwide in the industry today. In 1955, he called upon his experience to launch Ferno Manufacturing Company in Staunton, Ohio. The business became the platform for many more groundbreaking and industry-changing products and services which continue to give Ferno such an exemplary name today. "Dick Ferneau was a true pioneer in the development of ambulance stretchers and patient transportation resources," said Mr. Elroy Bourgraf, Chairman of Ferno-Washington, Inc.
"He had the visionary powers to see what was needed in the market, the ability to communicate with professionals in that arena to determine their needs and get their ideas, and the mechanical aptitude to bring those ideas to fruition.
"He will be sadly missed by all those who knew him and long remembered by those who use his products every day."
Ferneau remained active as a consultant in research and development at Ferno-Washington until the time of his death.