Those needing an emergency blood transfusion at the site of an emergency or while en route to the hospital will soon be able to receive treatment from the Sheboygan Fire Department. The prehospital blood administration program will be launched on April 15th, offering a significant advancement in emergency medical care for the community.
The program has been developed over the past year in collaboration with the Department’s Medical Director, Dr. Erin McGlynn, and Aurora Regional EMS, and has been approved by the Wisconsin State EMS Office to allow paramedic-level services to administer blood products. The SFD will become the first EMS provider in Sheboygan County so enabled, and is one of a limited number of agencies statewide to offer the service. Research has shown that the risk of death increases by 11 percent for each minute of delay for those needing blood, and now the delay for required transport can be eliminated.
SFD Med Unit 1853, courtesy of the Sheboygan Fire Department
The official launch on April 15th will incorporate a community blood drive from 1-7 PM at the Sheboygan Fire Department-Station 3 Headquarters at 1326 N. 25th Street, and although not required, registration is encouraged ahead of time at Versiti through this link.
For additional information or assistance with donor registration, please contact SFD at 920-459-3327 or email:
fire.department@sheboyganwi.gov
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