REACH carries blood in California’s Imperial County
Packed red blood cells will be carried onboard its aircraft in the county, supplied through a partnership with a local hospital system
Air ambulance provider REACH Air Medical Services has confirmed that it now carries packed red blood cells onboard helicopters flying from its three bases in Imperial County, California – in Brawley, Salton City and Imperial.
The organization confirmed that the blood products are being supplied through a local partnership with an unnamed local hospital system.
Brent Lopez, Program Director for REACH, said that the onboard blood products would benefit ‘patients who may suffer from severe blood loss and require aggressive fluid resuscitation’ while in transit.
Lopez added that: “Early administration of blood products to the critically ill or injured patient provides important stabilization as we transport them to a higher level of care.”
He finished by stating that REACH is grateful for the local partnerships it has formed in order to provide access to the blood products.
As well as in California, REACH also provides critical care air and ground ambulance services to communities in Nevada, Oregon, Colorado, and Wyoming.
In the UK, East Anglian Air Ambulance has been urging its supporters to donate blood after an ‘amber alert’ shortage was announced earlier this month.