OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV)– The Omaha Fire Department is now carrying whole blood supplies, which will allow trained paramedics to give transfusions at the scene of a trauma.
- Omaha Fire Department can now give transfusions at the scene of an emergency.
- Nebraska Medicine, Omaha Fire Department, and the Nebraska Community Blood bank collaborated to make this happen.
- They are now one of 160 departments nationwide to have implemented this practice.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The Omaha Fire Department is now carrying whole blood supplies, which will allow trained paramedics to give transfusions at the scene of a trauma.
According to Fire Chief Kathy Bossman, the ability to provide a blood transfusion in the field will improve patients' conditions while they are transported to the hospital and give doctors an even greater opportunity to save their lives.
"It just makes sense and I think it will have a positive impact on the community and certainly the patients that receive the blood will have shorter hospital stays and faster healing," Bossman said.
Right now, this is the only ground-based ambulance service providing this in Nebraska, and according to Bossman, there was an extensive amount of work between Nebraska Medicine, the Omaha Fire Department, and the Nebraska Community Blood Bank to make this possible.
They are now one of 160 departments nationwide to have implemented this practice.
