Ventura County Fire ambulances now carry blood for transfusions

VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. - Ventura County Fire is making a new addition to its life saving effort involving blood.

For the first time, the agency's rescue ambulances are now carrying whole blood to save lives.

“We’re only one of three agencies in the state of California to offer whole blood in a pre-hospital setting for traumatic injuries and will definitely help save lives, especially trauma, but also in medical cases too," said medical director Dr. Neil Canby of the Ventura County Fire Department.

Fire officials believe this new blood transfusion program marks a significant advancement in prehospital emergency care.

“Blood is always critical it’s critical for this program but it’s critical all the time … every day there are emergencies and traumas … for cancer … for all kinds of in hospital treatments and we need to have it available for patients," said regional director Susan Noone of Vitalant.

Fire officials say paramedics had to undergo special training for the new program.

“Just takes a lot of collaboration to get approval from the state to procure the blood that we need here also," said Canby.

By carrying whole blood, firefighter paramedics can deliver life-saving transfusions at the scene, and significantly improving patient outcomes when every second counts.

“My hope is that the patients who are in desperate need of a transfusion pre-hospital will get that transfusion and we will save lives," said Noone.

Right now, less than two percent of EMS agencies in the nation have blood transfusion programs.