LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – If you were in a traumatic accident today in Lincoln and you needed blood on the way to the hospital, you would not get any. That changes Tuesday, when Lincoln Fire and Rescue implements a new program to carry packed red blood cells aboard one of their EMS units.
A beige cooler in the back of EMS-1 will now carry two bags of packed red blood cells, provided by the Nebraska Community Blood Bank, to use at traumatic accidents. EMS Battalion Chief Jamie Pospisil says previous calls to traumatic accidents where the patients needed blood were frustrating.
“For patients experiencing significant blood loss, it’s very challenging and it’s almost a sinking feeling because we know as providers we didn’t carry, we weren’t equipped with a product that was going to save their life,” Pospisil said.
Fire Chief Dave Engler tells 10/11 that the addition will expand LFR’s scope of practice…