Corona FD Rolls Out In-Field Blood Transfusion Capability
BY JIM FORBES, Publisher
Trauma, often due to massive hemorrhaging of blood, is the leading cause of death for those under the age of 46. An estimated 275,000 individuals perish annually due to the resulting injuries.
As these traumas occur outside a medical facility, first responders, including but not necessarily paramedics, initiate treatments in the critical first minutes. Until recently, they’ve only been able to stem the loss of blood in the field, not administer critical transfusions to replace what has been depleted.
The use of in-field Pre-Hospital Blood Transfusions (PHBT) has been widespread in the Department of Defense trauma response system for years. But, due to a variety of factors, the availability of this life-saving procedure in the civilian world is far more the exception than the rule.
This week, the Corona Fire Department launched the first exception in the state.
“We are the first in California to have a fire department delivering blood to trauma patients in the field,” Corona Fire Apparatus Engineer and Public Information Officer Daniel Yonan noted during a press conference on Monday.
A national advocacy group, the “Prehospital Blood Transfusion Initiative Coalition,” cites one study that reports, “…for every 1-minute delay in prehospital resuscitation there was a 2% increase in the odds of 30-day mortality.”
Now, in Corona, those mortality odds are expected to improve significantly as Medic Squads 1 and 3 are equipped with hand-held coolers containing blood transfer bags with Type O Positive blood, the universal transfusion blood when a patient’s blood type is unknown.
“If we get to the patient and we know it’s bad, but we’re not sure how bad yet,” Corona FD EMS Capt. Chris Douglas explained, “We can just throw this cooler on the ambulance with the paramedic and go and figure it out on the way to the hospital.”
The onboard transfuser warms the cold blood, and a single bag can be completely administered in two minutes.
According to Corona FD, forty percent of trauma victims die due to blood loss. And for those that survive, every minute of excessive blood loss can have a critical impact on quality of life, “Whether it’s two weeks less in the ICU (intensive care unit) or memories that you are going to lose because your brain has gone without oxygen for so long,” Capt. Douglas said.
Corona FD is working In partnership with LifeStream Blood Bank, and is supported by the American Red Cross. The fire department will be holding its next blood drive on Wednesday, December 18 at its headquarters, 735 Public Safety Way, Corona. The blood donated will help supply the PHBT program.
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