BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. — A new emergency medical program in Berkeley County is already making a life-saving impact, with first responders administering multiple blood transfusions in the field just weeks after its launch.
Since early March, Berkeley County EMS has performed four whole blood transfusions through its newly implemented Whole Blood Program, according to officials. The initiative allows paramedics to deliver blood directly to patients before they reach the hospital — a step that can be critical in severe trauma cases.
HCA Healthcare Trident Hospital recently recognized the agency’s efforts, honoring the first responders involved in the program’s first transfusion. In that case, a patient suffered life-threatening injuries after falling onto a drinking glass, causing significant bleeding to the face and head. Paramedics were able to control the bleeding at the scene before administering whole blood en route to the hospital, where the patient received further treatment.
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The program, launched in partnership with the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), equips two EMS supervisor vehicles with a unit of O-positive whole blood. These vehicles can respond anywhere in the county when a transfusion is needed…