New blood transfusion program within Pasco County Fire Rescue helping save lives

LAND O’ LAKES, Fla. — Paramedics with Pasco County Fire Rescue are getting some help when it comes to performing life-saving blood transfusions.

We told you how the department launched its prehospital blood transfusion program in December. Now, six weeks in, the new program is already helping save lives.

Aboard an EMS truck at Pasco County Fire Rescue headquarters and nestled inside packs are life-saving supplies used by EMS Supervisor Justin Crook.

“The sooner that we can get this blood on board, our patient outcomes are much better,” says Crook. “In an emergency situation, when it’s time to give it, I will assemble all the new, clean and sterile equipment. We assemble that, put the warmer in place, get the bag attached and start infusing that blood and get that to the patient in a nice, controlled manner.”

The supplies are part of the department’s new blood transfusion program. It allows paramedics, such as Crook, to perform life-saving blood transfusions at emergency scenes and helps almost double a patient’s chance of survival.

“It aids and assists us getting them to the surgeon where they can get definitive care,” Crook said. “Better recovery is our main goal here with the blood program.”

Since it started in December, they have helped perform five transfusions.

“Every minute that goes by that someone needs blood doesn’t get blood, there’s an 11% increase in mortality,” says Gregory Pollock, Division Chief of EMS for Pasco County Fire Rescue. “So that’s what we’re trying to do — we’re trying to lower that number significantly.”

The department has four EMS supervisors. They’re already planning to hire another this October.

“The more people we have that can carry and administer blood, it’s obvious, the more people we can get to,” says Pollock. “There’s going to be geographical limitations based on their locations, it’s just not possible to get to every single call that may need this resource. So our goal is to get as many of those people as physically possible.”

While Crook says he hasn’t had the opportunity to deliver blood just yet, he’s ready for when the time comes.

“With our medical direction and our chiefs, we’ve upped the game in the Tampa Bay area, and I’m very glad to be a part of that,” said Crook.

Helping lead the way toward saving lives.

Pasco County Fire Rescue will hold a blood drive on Feb. 28 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Station 38. Blood collected at the drive will go toward the transfusion program.