When the call comes in, everything happens fast. One minute, our paramedics are on standby, and the next, they’re racing to the scene of a car wreck on I-565. The impact was severe, and Laura, a 41-year-old mom of three, is losing blood rapidly. Minutes matter. The faster we can get her to the hospital, the more likely it is that she will make it home again.
But here’s the reality: in trauma situations like this, it’s not just our speed that matters. It’s what we have in our hands when we arrive. HEMSI has always been able to provide limited trauma interventions and stabilize patients as best we can. But there’s one thing that can revolutionize pre-hospital trauma care — a blood transfusion during transport.
This, just a few years ago, was a far-fetched dream. For decades, the pre-hospital standard has simply been to perform those limited interventions and get them to the hospital. But that doesn’t work when the body is losing blood through a trauma wound. The body needs whole blood and the oxygen, warmth, and clotting it provides.
In true Huntsville fashion, we have been innovators and one of the first in the nation to start carrying whole blood on our ambulances. Thanks to a truly unique partnership between HEMSI and Huntsville Hospital, the hospital blood bank is providing HEMSI with blood that’s nearing the end of its shelf life — blood that could otherwise go to waste. This blood is now on-hand for critical cases — averaging one every week. But, it takes more than just access to the blood. We must be able to store and transport it safely, and then warm and transfuse it quickly. That is more complicated than it sounds.
With our current equipment, it can take us up to 19 minutes to get blood warmed and into a trauma patient in need. That is too long. With new blood warmers and infusers, we can cut that time down to just 3 minutes. That 16-minute difference could be the line between life and death.
If we can give Laura blood 16 minutes faster, we prevent hypothermia and maintain enough oxygen for her to make it to the ER alive so Huntsville Hospital’s skilled Trauma team can work their magic. She survives and makes it home to her family.
HEMSI and our not-for-profit hospital system are proud to be part of this collaborative solution, but it won’t advance without philanthropic support. We want to equip our ambulances with these new blood warmers and transport coolers to make this a reality. And that’s where we need your help.
This holiday season, we’re asking you to give a gift that truly matters. We must raise $67,779 to supply these lifesaving, innovative resources to help you and our community. By supporting this initiative through Huntsville Hospital Foundation, you’re not just making a donation—you’re becoming part of a lifesaving team. Will you please support our goal through a tax-deductible year-end gift? Simply donate online before December 31 to help.
