Tuscaloosa Fire Department adds a new component to emergency care on the scene

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WBRC) - The Tuscaloosa Fire Department has taken a major step towards keeping you safe and working to reduce the death rate on some calls.

First responders now have a way to give you red blood cells in the ambulance. The purpose behind the new program is to treat badly injured patients on the scene with new packed blood cells. In other words, replace what they’ve lost whether it’s a gunshot wound or car wreck.

At the Tuscaloosa Fire Department, there is no special name for it other than the blood program, but it has profound implications. It’s a potential lifesaver, game-changer and difference-maker, all mixed in one.

“It’s still very important to get the patient to the hospital quickly,” said Deputy Chief Chris Williamson.

During that race to the hospital, paramedics use an IV to give patients packed red blood cells whereas before, such a procedure had to wait until the injured person got to the hospital with the trauma team waiting.

“The paramedics from the fire department will take two bags, climb in the back of the ambulance on the way to the hospital and start running blood and plasma through specialized IV treatments,” said Williamson.

So far, five units within the Tuscaloosa Fire Department have been outfitted with the package.

“This has been a two-and-a-half year project,” said Williamson.

The process of how it works is fairly simple - a high tech cooler, IV tubing, and a warmer all work in synergy to give patients the very source of life they need to survive. Behind it all? Highly trained paramedics who required more training to put it into practice.

“We’ve done a lot of training, a lot of purchases. Cold products that heat up to the accepted levels for badly injured patients. Blood is kept between 2 and 9 degrees Celsius,” said Williamson.

When you cut through the medical know-how of it all, it comes down this - another component of emergency medical care to give the patient a fighting chance.

“If they don’t have what they’ve lost replaced immediately and on the way to the hospital, the surgeon may not have enough to work with when they get there,” said Williamson.

And that can make all the difference between life or death.

Deputy Chief Williamson says so far, the blood kit has been used twice, but both patients ended up passing away. But it’s important to point out the two patients actually got better when they arrived at the hospital, but their wounds were too great.

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