Milwaukee County blood transfusion program already saving lives

MILWAUKEE - A new blood transfusion program is making a difference between life and death in Milwaukee County. As leaders explained on Tuesday, it has already saved lives.

What they're saying:

On March 17, the Milwaukee Fire Department's MED 2 unit was called to a shooting on the city's north side.

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The victim suffered multiple gunshot wounds but lived, EMS workers said, thanks in part to the county's new "whole blood" program. He was the first shooting victim in Milwaukee to survive thanks to the blood transfusion.

"We are making gains instead of taking losses," said MFD Chief Aaron Lipski.

The backstory:

FOX6 News first told you about the new program in November. Several fire departments in Milwaukee County now operate with type O+ blood in temperature-controlled coolers. As a result, EMTs can perform a "whole blood" transfusion instead of an IV. Studies show it can increase survival rate by 80%.

Dig deeper:

The Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management said seven patients have been administered the whole blood. A majority of those patients experienced significant improvement before they got to a hospital. 

Temperature-controlled cooler for blood 

"For every one-minute delay in receiving blood, these patients have a 2% increase in death," said Dr. Ben Weston, Milwaukee County EMS.

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Lipski said the blood comes from donors. He hopes, one day, temperature-controlled coolers will be available for every MED unit in the city.

"It’s proven itself already," said Lipski.

EMS workers rotate the blood within six days of it expiring and bring it to the hospital. That way, none of the blood goes to waste.