By MES Dispatch Staff
The Briefing
- Richland Fire and Emergency Services began carrying two units of whole blood in its on-duty battalion chief’s command vehicle about two and a half weeks ago.
- The department says it is the first community east of the Cascade Mountains to offer prehospital transfusions through its “Blood on Board” program.
- The blood has not been used yet, but a department review found 400 potential cases between June 2024 and June 2026 in which patients could have received it before reaching a hospital.
- The Type O blood is stored in a monitored cooler, and unused units are swapped to the American Red Cross before expiring so hospitals can use them.
- Paramedics have completed online and hands-on training, and every out-of-hospital transfusion will undergo a case review.
RICHLAND, Wash. — Richland Fire and Emergency Services has started carrying whole blood so paramedics can give transfusions before patients reach the hospital, a program the department says is the first of its kind east of the Cascade Mountains, the Tri-City Herald reported.
About two and a half weeks ago, the on-duty battalion chief’s command vehicle began carrying two units of whole blood in a cooler with constant electronic temperature monitoring. When responders are called to a patient with major bleeding, the battalion chief arrives with blood to give if needed. “Today represents a fundamental change,” said Dr. Kevin Hodges, the medical program director for emergency medical services in Benton and Franklin counties. “We’re now bringing blood to the bleeding patients.”
The blood has not been needed yet. The department found 400 potential cases from June 2024 to June 2026 in which patients could have received blood before reaching a hospital, including serious injuries from car and motorcycle crashes and medical problems that cause severe bleeding. Battalion Chief and Fire Marshal Andy Sabin, who helped start the program, said it is not only for trauma patients, and that obstetrical emergencies, gastrointestinal bleeding and uncontrolled bleeding in dialysis patients could also qualify.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Office of Emergency Medical Services estimates that 37% of trauma patients with severe bleeding could be saved by a transfusion before reaching a hospital. Richland Fire says having blood available can save 30% more trauma patients. Fire Chief Randy Aust said that when someone loses a lot of blood, minutes matter because the body loses its ability to deliver oxygen to vital organs.
The blood, which is Type O, is supplied to the battalion chief’s vehicle rather than every ambulance, to limit the amount needed from Red Cross donors. If a unit nears its expiration date without use, it is swapped to the American Red Cross for hospital use and replaced with fresh supply. Richland paramedics have completed online and hands-on training on handling blood, transfusion procedures and recognizing reactions, and each out-of-hospital transfusion will be reviewed for indications, reactions and outcomes.
When the department announced the program earlier this year, it held a firehouse blood drive that drew more than 144 units, which it says set a Washington state record for the largest single-day blood drive. Another drive is scheduled with the American Red Cross from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Nov. 23 at Richland Fire Station 74, 2710 Duportail St.; donors can register at richlandwa.gov/RFESBloodDrive.