EMS Innovations’ The RISER Named “Caregiver Support Product of the Year” In 2026 Senior Innovation Awards
Annual Awards Program Recognizes The Best Of Companies, Services and Products Across The Senior Care Industry
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LOS ANGELES, Sept. 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The 2026 Senior Innovation Awards, an independent recognition platform highlighting the most innovative companies, services, and products in the highly competitive senior care and aging-related industries, today announced that The RISER from EMS Innovations, LLC, finding practical, outside-the-box solutions to real challenges faced by first responders, is the winner of Caregiver Support Product of the Year.
Invented by a Firefighter, The RISER is a new type of portable patient lifting device that enables a single caregiver to assist a fallen individual from the floor to an upright seated position in a safe & controlled manner. It utilizes a smooth pivoting transition to change the geometry of the lift itself, allowing responders to guide fall patients upward in a secure, ergonomic motion that protects both patient dignity and provider safety. By employing a stable platform & leverage, The RISER provides a 3:1 mechanical advantage per user. So, with a pair of operators for example, a 300lb fall patient could be lifted using only 50lbs of force per person.
The RISER has nearly the same shape & dimensions as a standard backboard (approx 16” x 72”) and its low-profile design allows caregivers to easily slide or roll a patient onto it just like loading a patient onto a backboard. After a quick pair of seatbelts are applied, the operator lifts from the top end, and the device converts into a chair – effectively “rising” the patient from the ground to an upright seated position. Equipped with locking caster wheels, The RISER can rotate 360° around tight corners & through narrow spaces so the patient can easily be moved back to bed, to an ambulance gurney, etc.
The RISER not only streamlines the patient-lifting process, it also reduces the physical demands placed on caregivers – thereby addressing one of the most common & costly injuries in emergency services & healthcare: musculoskeletal injuries caused by manually lifting patients. Falls are the #1 risk for seniors over the age of 65, and patient handling is the single greatest risk factor for work-related injuries among healthcare workers. First responders and caregivers frequently perform awkward lifts in unpredictable environments, often placing extreme strain on their backs and joints. OSHA reports that mechanical lifting equipment reduces exposure to manual lifting injuries by up to 95% among health care workers and that “safe patient handling investments pay for themselves very quickly.”
Only a few inches thick, The RISER can conveniently be stored in a variety of places – ranging from an ambulance backboard compartment, supply closet, or secured against a wall for quick access. Crafted primarily from medical-grade stainless steel with High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) seating and backrest, the non-porous materials make it simple to clean and sterilize – just spray & wipe. The RISER also locks flat and rolls at an angle like airline luggage, so operators never need to carry it.
The RISER has demonstrated success through multiple industry recognitions & real-world demonstrations within the EMS & Firefighter community. In Oct 2025, it received the Firehouse Magazine Innovation Award, which recognizes new technologies that improve fire service operations & safety. Firehouse Magazine is a prominent publication in the fire & emergency services industry, and in its award publication described The RISER as “a thoughtfully designed, highly functional tool that supports safer patient handling while reducing the risk of injury to fire and EMS professionals.” It was also recognized at the EMS World Innovation Awards in Dec 2025, which highlights pioneering products introduced at EMS World Expo and evaluated by an independent panel of EMS leaders & clinicians. EMS World Expo is the largest EMS conference in the country, and in their awards publication stated: “What sets the RISER apart is how naturally it integrates into existing operations…No significant retraining, no vehicle modifications, just a device that makes one of the most injury-prone tasks markedly safer and more efficient.”
“Patient handling is a leading cause of injury in healthcare workers across the board – particularly in Assisted Living & EMS. Traditional methods often require multiple people, emergency responders, or awkward and improvisational manual lifting. As a Firefighter with 15 years of experience in the field, I designed The RISER to transform the way caregivers assist older adults after a fall,” said Rick Beedle, Firefighter, Inventor and Founder of EMS Innovations. “I want to thank the Senior Innovation Awards for this acknowledgment. I intend for The RISER to improve the safety, dignity, and quality of life for both seniors and the people who care for them. The RISER can make one of the most injury-prone tasks in healthcare and emergency response safer and more efficient for all parties involved.”
Global demographics are shifting, driving the demand for solutions that support longer, healthier lives. Senior-focused products and services are evolving as consumers, caregivers, and providers become more informed. With advancements across healthcare, mobility, senior living, and other age-related channels, the industry is experiencing rapid growth, accelerating health outcomes, safety, and quality of life for older adults across the aging ecosystem.
The mission of the Senior Innovation Awards is to recognize leadership across the senior care and aging sector, honoring organizations, services, and solutions that meaningfully support quality of life, dignity, and long-term well-being for older adults and their communities. The awards recognize a range of senior industry categories, including Daily Living & Mobility Aids, Health & Wellness, Nutrition & Feeding, Cognitive & Engagement, Transportation & Accessibility, Caregiving & Support, and Senior Living & Community, among others. The 2026 Senior Innovation Awards attracted thousands of nominations from around the world.
“By combining real-world Firefighter experience with thoughtful engineering, The RISER is redefining fall recovery. Every year, millions of seniors experience falls – yet one of the greatest challenges for professional caregivers is safely helping someone back to a standing position without causing additional injury to either person,” said Travis Grant, Managing Director, Independent Innovation Awards. “The RISER addresses one of senior care’s greatest daily challenges with a simple, portable, and innovative lifting solution that restores dignity, reduces physical strain, and promotes safer outcomes. We’re thrilled to award The RISER with the 2026 Caregiver Support Product of the Year.”
About The Senior Innovation Awards
Part of the Independent Innovation Awards organization, a global market intelligence and recognition program within the most competitive consumer categories, the Senior Innovation Awards honors the most outstanding and innovative companies, services, and products within the rapidly expanding senior care and aging industry. The Senior Innovation Awards provides public recognition for the achievements of senior care industry companies and products including Senior Living, Home & Community-Based Care, Health & Wellness, Mobility & Safety, Caregiver Support, Memory Care and more. For more information visit: https://seniorinnovationawards.com/
About EMS Innovations
The RISER was invented by Firefighter Rick Beedle, who saw firsthand how perilous patient lifting can be and set out to build a safer, more portable way to help patients up. While The RISER is EMS Innovations’ flagship product today, their broader mission is to continue developing innovative tools that make the job safer, easier, and more efficient for first responders and healthcare providers everywhere.
Media Contact:
Travis Grant
Senior Innovation Awards
Travis@independentinnovationawards.com
949.667.4475
