Richland the 1st Eastern WA city to use this lifesaving technique

Richland Fire and Emergency Services is becoming one of the elite 1% of EMS agencies in the nation saving lives by getting blood to those with critical illnesses or traumatic injuries before they reach a hospital.

The city is launching a prehospital blood transfusion program, aiming to become the first fire and EMS agency in Eastern Washington to carry blood onboard its emergency response vehicles, it announced Thursday.

“By bringing blood directly to patients in the field, we can stabilize critical injuries sooner and improve outcomes during the most crucial moments of care,” said Randy Aust, chief of Richland Fire and Emergency Services.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Office of Emergency Medical Services estimates that 37% of trauma patients with severe bleeding could be saved by quickly receiving a blood transfusion before reaching a hospital.

Severe bleeding is the primary cause of preventable fatalities in trauma patients, including those in a car crash.

“Time is critical,” according to the NHTSA.

Death can occur in as little as five minutes when someone is bleeding, and every minute of delay in administering blood increases the risk of death by 11%, it said.

And when patients already are being given blood when they arrive at a hospital, health care workers then can more quickly and efficiently stabilize those with complex traumas, the NHTSA said.

Blood transfusions in the field can not only save the lives of trauma patients — including those stabbed, shot or in crashes — but also those with other medical emergencies, such as women with severe bleeding after childbirth, according to the Prehospital Blood Transfusion Coalition.

Although prehospital blood infusions have begun to be done in recent years, most emergency response vehicles don’t carry blood yet because of reimbursement limitations and regulations that vary by state, according to the coalition.

It’s working to make sure that prehospital blood products are available to every bleeding patient if medically appropriate and that every provider receives fair compensation for the transfusions.

Prehospital blood programs have been endorsed by leading national organizations, including the American College of Surgeons, American College of Emergency Physicians, International Association of EMS Chiefs and the National Association of EMS Physicians.

“This program represents a significant advancement in trauma care for our community and region,” Aust said.

Severe blood shortage

However, the launch of the Richland program comes as the American Red Cross has a severe blood shortage. It’s being blamed on a bad flu season and also winter storms that have caused more than 500 blood drives to be canceled since the start of the year.

Richland and the American Red Cross are partnering to support the launch of Richland’s prehospital transfusion program and to build awareness of the need for blood donations with a large regional blood drive.

Richland has set a goal of having the largest single-day blood drive in Washington state with 150 blood donations from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. March 31. The drive will be at Fire Station 74, 2710 Duportail St.

Register at Richlandwa.gov/BloodOnBoard or call 800-733-2767.

Those who register and donate will receive a $15 Amazon gift card, a free commemorative t-shirt and an A1C test, which can help screen for diabetes.

To find additional Red Cross blood drives, go to redcrossblood.org.

This story was originally published February 6, 2026 at 5:00 AM.