Patient handling device

A patient handling device, such as a bed, stretcher, cot, or the like, includes a deck on which a patient may lie and which is surrounded by siderails. Control panels may be mounted on the siderails in a staggered fashion to improve the ease of accessing the control panels. A handle assembly may be included near the top of the Fowler section of the deck which allows a pair of handles to be squeezed independently for manual pivoting of the Fowler section. Squeezing one handle does not increase the force required to subsequently squeeze the other handle. The pivoting of the Fowler section may also be carried out automatically through an electrical actuator. The raising of the deck may be carried out through an electrical pump that pumps hydraulic fluid, and which may be activated near the top end of the stroke of a reciprocating pedal.