Milwaukee County Administers Prehospital Whole Blood Transfusions to 38 Patients in Programs Inaugural Year

MILWAUKEE – Today, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley and local leaders highlighted the results from the first year of a pilot program to administer whole blood transfusions in the field for critically injured trauma patients. In its inaugural year, 38 patients across the County received whole blood transfusions from first responders following severe injury and trauma.

“I’m deeply grateful to the Office of Emergency Management for leading with innovation, compassion, and purpose,” said County Executive Crowley. “Because of this initiative, 38 people were given a fighting chance to survive. It’s a powerful reminder of what’s possible when meaningful public-private partnerships are centered on saving lives.”

In November 2024, the Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) Emergency Medical Services (EMS) division launched a groundbreaking initiative to administer whole blood transfusions in the field for critically injured trauma patients. Milwaukee County EMS was the first in Wisconsin—and among the first fire-based EMS systems in the nation—to deliver whole blood to patients in the field.

Over the past year, Milwaukee County piloted a diverse approach that utilized both dedicated and regional blood units Currently, Mobile Emergency Department (MED) units from seven municipal fire departments carry whole blood to serve their communities and surrounding municipalities: Greendale, Milwaukee, North Shore, South Milwaukee, Wauwatosa, and West Allis. Using a data-driven approach, OEM is assessing how best to expand this program. Based on lessons learned in the first year and thought partnership with other EMS systems across the country, OEM plans to regionalize blood deployment to ensure that as many patients as possible can receive lifesaving blood transfusions when they need it most.

“We are proud to celebrate one year of Wisconsin’s first prehospital blood program,” said Dr. Ben Weston, Milwaukee County Chief Health Policy Advisor and EMS Medical Director. “In that year, patients who otherwise may not have survived the trip to the hospital are arriving alive and stable, giving them a chance to receive the care they need. When someone is suffering a traumatic injury with severe blood loss, every minute counts. This program is saving lives, and it is only the beginning.”

The most common injury types that qualified and received blood were blunt and penetrating traumas, though the circumstances varied. In several cases, patients experienced traumatic cardiac arrest but were successfully resuscitated in the field because whole blood was available. Prior to this initiative, the outcomes for these cases would almost certainly have been fatal.

In another case, a young woman suffered postpartum hemorrhaging after giving birth. Thanks to the rapid response from EMS teams and the immediate availability of blood, she was able to receive a lifesaving transfusion. Today, she is healthy and able to care for her newborn baby.

“Prehospital blood represents a generational shift in how EMS systems can deliver trauma care in the field,” said Dan Pojar, EMS Division Director, Milwaukee County OEM. “Milwaukee County EMS has embraced this innovation, becoming a leader in advancing prehospital medicine. Only about one percent of EMS agencies nationwide have developed and implemented a program like this.”

Prior to this initiative, patients would have to wait until arriving at the hospital to receive a blood transfusion. That extra time could be a matter of life and death. A recent study has shown that patients who receive a blood transfusion within six minutes of EMS contact have a 7% mortality rate, but that rate increases to 32% after 30 minutes.

This initiative was made possible through a strong community partnership. Milwaukee County OEM provides the training and resources needed to implement the program and partners with the Medical College of Wisconsin for medical direction and administrative oversight. Versiti and the Wisconsin Diagnostic Laboratory Blood Bank supply the blood used in the field, and municipal fire departments and EMS personnel bring this lifesaving work directly to patients, often in their most vulnerable moments.

To sustain lifesaving programs like this one, maintaining a strong blood supply is critical. Community members interested in getting involved can register to donate blood with Versiti Wisconsin at donateblood.versiti.org and help save a life.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.