LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — A pilot program is bringing whole blood directly to emergency scenes across the valley, allowing crews to begin life-saving treatment before patients reach the hospital.
According to the Red Cross, whole blood is the blood that flows in our bodies, with none of its components separated or removed. It is used to treat patients who need larger amounts of all components of blood, such as in traumatic situations.
The program launched in December 2025, making Clark County Fire Department the first ground-based EMS agency in Nevada to carry whole blood.
How the program works
The EMS Captain Quick Response Vehicle carries a specialized cooler that stores whole blood within a safe temperature range.
Crews also use a heater to warm the blood for administration and check the supply every 12 hours.
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“Because it’s, like I said, it’s like liquid gold,” said Daylon Woolbright the Assistant Fire Chief over EMS operations at Clark County Fire Department. “So, we want to make sure we get every drop of blood in.”
Early results
The program has completed 10 transfusions since it started about five months ago.
“We’ve had 10 transfusions, with our patients being transported quickly to the trauma centers in our valley,” Woolbright. “And so far, it’s been a great success.”
National data indicates that tens of thousands of people die of significant blood loss each year, and whole blood is a life-saving treatment.
Rare program nationwide
Clark County Fire Department is among a small group leading this effort nationwide, saying only 2 percent of ground-based EMS systems in the country currently carry whole blood.
“And the mission and goal of the pilot program is to collect as much data as possible, analyze it, and identify the most efficient way that we can expand this program in the future, if possible,” Woolbright said.
The blood comes from a partnership with Vitalant, with UMC helping with storage, exchange and the training required to administer whole blood in the field.
Clark County Fire Department will make a decision by the end of the year on whether the program becomes permanent. The department is urging eligible donors to give blood, because donations are what keep the cooler stocked.
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