When severe blood loss occurs, every minute before treatment can affect a patient’s chance of survival. Boca Raton Fire Rescue Services is now bringing a critical hospital-level intervention directly to patients by equipping its firefighter-paramedics to administer whole blood in the field.
The new capability allows first responders to begin transfusions before a critically injured or ill patient reaches the hospital. Whole blood can be used for adults and children experiencing major blood loss from traumatic injuries, including vehicle crashes, as well as certain medical emergencies such as gastrointestinal bleeding.
By moving this treatment into the prehospital setting, the department can begin replacing lost blood at the earliest, most time-sensitive stage of care. The approach is increasingly recognized as a best practice in emergency medicine, yet it remains uncommon among ground-based emergency response agencies…