Rosenberg, TX– Fort Bend County Health and Human Services is proud to announce a significant advancement in emergency medical care within the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Department.
For the first time, Fort Bend County EMS will carry whole blood on ambulances, marking a monumental step forward in life-saving capabilities for trauma and critically bleeding patients.
Since the inception of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in the early 1970s, the standard practice for treating patients who have lost significant amounts of blood has been to administer intravenous salt water. However, saltwater neither helps blood to clot nor carries oxygen – the two critical functions of blood needed by a bleeding patient before they reach the hospital. The administration of whole blood, in contrast, provides these vital functions and can be the difference between life and death.
Research and real-world field experiences have demonstrated the life-saving potential of whole blood in pre-hospital settings. This practice was first adopted by the Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council (STRAC) in the San Antonio region in 2018. Since then, over 2,000 units of whole blood have been administered by paramedics across a 22-county area, resulting in numerous saved lives. Today, more than 50 units of blood are available for EMS use in that region.
Building on this proven success, Fort Bend County EMS is proud to bring this advanced level of care to the Fort Bend County/greater Houston area. Initially, two units of whole blood will be available and centrally located to ensure rapid access across the county. As the program develops, this will expand to four units over the next several months, enhancing our capacity to save lives.
Fort Bend County EMS is collaborating with multiple EMS agencies, hospitals, the South East Texas Regional Advisory Council (SETRAC), and the Gulf Coast Blood and Tissue Center to implement this life- saving treatment, not only within the county, but also across the entire region.
This initiative underscores our commitment to providing the highest standard of care and improving outcomes for our patients. By adopting the use of whole blood, Fort Bend County EMS joins the forefront of emergency medical care, ready to save more lives and set new standards in pre-hospital treatment.