CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Alongside gloves, AED machines and other life-saving essentials, Chesterfield County first responders are now equipped with “whole blood” to help respond to emergencies.
Traditionally, when first responders are called to a scene where a trauma patient is losing blood, they use I.V. fluid or saline solution to stabilize the patient until they can receive more definitive care at an emergency center.
The County’s recently announced pilot program allows responders to provide a true “whole blood” infusion immediately at the scene. Medical professionals emphasized that this significantly increases a patient’s chance of survival.
Units of blood acquired through a partnership with Inova Blood Bank chill at four to six degrees Celsius in a medical fridge nestled in the Chesterfield County Fire and EMS’s Safety Officer truck.
Battalion Chief Wayne Bowen reiterated how special this is, as real blood is not in most first responders’ toolkits.
“[In the past,] we have essentially administered saltwater, or I.V. solution, to try to rehydrate or basically maintain fluid balance in our patients,” Bowen said.
According to the New England Journal of Medicine, about 60,000 Americans each year die of blood loss. This clear need for this coveted resource helped prompt medical professionals like Chesterfield County Fire and EMS’ Dr. Allen Yee to substitute saline for the real stuff.
“Blood is very important,” Yee said. “[For] people with injuries, dying from a hemorrhage is one of the major causes. So, if we can give blood back, it will save more lives.”
The team’s Safety Officer truck strategically rests at Chesterfield County Fire and EMS’s Station 17. This site is ideal, as data collected suggests its position is best to serve the whole county. Whether responding a shooting, stabbing or car accident — anytime a victim has low blood pressure, that truck with those vital red cells and platelets is dispatched.
“We’re replacing what the victim loses with what was actually present in their body,” Bowen said.
The supply is called “low titer O positive (O+) whole blood,” so it’s compatible with virtually any patient. These Chesterfield heroes strive to shorten the time between every victim’s injury and life-saving care.
This is the first initiative like this in the Central Virginia region, and it is in its first stages. As of early January, 60 responders have been fully trained in how to facilitate these ground transport infusions — but the county officials are in the process of training all paramedics and continuing to expand the program.
