VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A relatively new tool is in place to help trauma victims such as gunshot wound patients and car crash victims: blood transfusions at the scene of the incident.
Some may not realize, but when responding to a scene where a person is bleeding, emergency medical crews have typically used a saline solution in the past, along with techniques and tools to stop bleeding and open the person’s airways. But Tidewater EMS personnel say studies show that administering whole blood right away, versus waiting until the patient gets to a hospital, can mean the difference between life and death.