CAMBRIDGE, Md. – Dorchester County plans to soon have whole blood available on its ambulances after the county council accepted a state grant Tuesday night.
Before Tuesday night, the county had already been approved for a one-year Whole Blood Program grant awarded by the state.
The grant will fund specialized equipment — including blood warmers and coolers to keep donations viable in both winter and summer months. It will also cover tools needed to distribute and deliver blood directly to patients, which differ from the standard IV equipment paramedics already carry.
Right now, whole blood is only transported by helicopter. This grant will allow paramedics on the ground to administer it directly, rather than relying solely on IV fluids.
President of Dorchester County Council Lenny Pfeffer is a former EMT. He says the change would be especially significant for patients suffering traumatic injuries or facing long transport times to a hospital.
"The whole blood program will actually have us, we will have blood products, available to patients, which is much better than using traditional IV fluids,” Pfeffer said .”Whole bloods actually carry platelets, and they allow for the transfer of oxygen as well, which IV fluids really don't do."
According to Pfeffer, the Whole Blood Program originated as a pilot with the Maryland State Police Aviation Division. After consultation with the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services — which recognized the benefit for patients facing long transport times — the program expanded into a statewide option available to counties.
Pfeffer says the county’s EMS chief is still determining which stations would be best positioned to house the supplies, with the goal of making the program accessible.
“So this program will be available to all the citizens of Dorchester County, and it depends on the type of situation, whether it's a traumatic injury, an internal bleed,” Pfeffer said. “But time is of the essence to try to get oxygen to all the cells and tissues inside the body. So this is going to be of great interest, and help for all the citizens of the county.”
Officials say if the program goes well, they plan to seek additional grant funding to expand it to more stations across the county after the one-year period ends.
