In a groundbreaking medical milestone, the Canton Fire Department has made history by administering the first full blood transfusion in a prehospital setting in Massachusetts. This life-saving procedure was performed on a 35-year-old man critically injured in a car crash in Braintree.In a groundbreaking medical milestone, the Canton Fire Department has made history by administering the first full blood transfusion in a prehospital setting in Massachusetts. This life-saving procedure was performed on a 35-year-old man critically injured in a car crash in Braintree. Upon arriving at the crash site, emergency responders from the Braintree Fire Department and Brewster Ambulance paramedics recognized the severity of the man’s condition and contacted the Canton Fire Department for assistance. The Canton Fire Department recently launched the Field Transfusion Paramedic Program, making them the first in the state to provide full blood transfusions before patients reach the hospital. With the man’s vital signs rapidly deteriorating, the Canton Fire Department team swiftly administered the blood transfusion while he was being transported to Boston Medical Center. The critically injured man’s condition improved en route to the hospital, allowing him to undergo immediate surgery upon arrival. The Field Transfusion Paramedic Program was developed over three years in partnership with Boston Medical Center. Firefighters and paramedics were extensively trained to transfuse Low Titer O Whole Blood, which contains red blood cells, platelets, and plasma, to patients who need it before reaching the hospital. Canton Fire Chief Wendell Robery expressed his gratitude for the collaboration and support that made this innovative program possible. “This groundbreaking program represents a significant advancement in prehospital care and has already proven its value in its first use,” Chief Robery said. “The successful administration of whole blood in the field is a testament to the training, preparedness, and dedication of our paramedics and EMTs.” The Canton Fire Department’s Field Transfusion Paramedic Program has set a new standard for emergency medical care in Massachusetts. This program’s ability to provide life-saving blood transfusions before patients reach the hospital has the potential to improve outcomes and save countless lives in the years to come.
In what officials are calling a “milestone,” members of the Canton Fire Department saved a man’s life by administering the first full blood transfusion in a “prehospital setting” in Massachusetts history.
A 35-year-old man was critically injured in a car crash in Braintree early Saturday morning. According to the Canton Fire Department, it took about 45 minutes for emergency responders to remove him from the damaged vehicle. He had low blood pressure, was in shock and was suffering from internal bleeding.
Members of the Braintree Fire Department and Brewster Ambulance paramedics decided to call on the Canton Fire Department, which recently launched a new Field Transfusion Paramedic Program, for help.
The transfusion was successfully performed when the man was taken to Boston Medical Center. His vital signs improved en route to the hospital and he underwent surgery upon arrival, officials said.
In March, the Canton Fire Department, in partnership with Boston Medical Center, launched the first pilot program in state history to provide full blood transfusions before patients reach the hospital.
“This groundbreaking program represents a significant advancement in prehospital care and has already proven its value in its first use,” Canton Fire Chief Wendell Robery said in a statement. “The successful administration of whole blood in the field is a testament to the training, preparedness and dedication of our paramedics and EMTs. We are grateful for the partnership with Boston Medical Center and the support of our neighboring communities.”
The program was developed over three years before it launched this spring. Firefighters and paramedics were trained to transfuse Low Titer O Whole Blood to patients who are brought to the hospital. The Red Cross describes it as an “all-in-one” transfusion therapy for bleeding patients because it contains red blood cells, platelets and plasma.
Loading…
