Austin-Travis County EMS has announced the launch of a new pilot program to carry whole blood on response its vehicles. It’s a coordinated effort that has been in the planning stages for mroe than a year between ATCEMS, the Office of the Chief Medical Officer, and We Are Blood, which is the blood center for Central Texas.
To start the pilot, two different ATCEMS response units will carry Low Titer O+ Whole Blood. Type O blood is the universal donor blood type and “Low Titer” means there are a minimal amount of antibodies in the blood, making it safe to transfuse to a patient with any blood type.
“Every second counts when you are dealing with a life-threatening hemorrhage, so carrying blood products with the ability to administer them in the field could very likely be the difference between life and death for these patients,” said Deputy Medical Director Heidi Abraham. “Prior to this, we only had the ability to stop the bleeding, and try to replace the lost blood volume with IV fluids, which is not the best option for hemorrhaging patients. By administering blood products at the patient’s side, closer to the time of injury, we’re giving these patients a much better chance of survival and recovery.”
The blood will be carried in specialized coolers inside the ATCEMS units, officials said, which maintain an FDA mandated temperature between 1-6 degrees Celsius.
“It really is beautifully orchestrated by We Are Blood, they do a remarkable job and provide an important service for our community,” said Captain Dave LeClere, who is coordinating the program for ATCEMS. “We Are Blood’s Director of Business Development and her team were crucial to our success in getting to this point, and we can’t thank them enough.”
The goal for the future of ATCEMS’ blood program is to make blood available as close to the time of injury as possible.
While there is no defined completion date for the pilot, the department will analyze the data and develop a strategy for equitable deployment. ATCEMS is committed to and invested in making the lifesaving resource of whole blood available to residents and visitors to the City of Austin and Travis County.
