‘Gift of life’: Goochland EMS now equipped with lifesaving ‘whole blood’

GOOCHLAND COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Goochland County is now among the few EMS agencies in Central Virginia whose first responders are equipped with "whole blood," a valuable tool that officials say will save lives.

On Wednesday, Sept. 17, the Goochland County Department of Fire-Rescue & Emergency Services launched its new EMS Whole Blood Program through a partnership with Chesterfield County Fire and EMS, Virginia State Police EMS Med-Flight 1 and Inova Blood Donor Services.

8News previously spoke to Chesterfield first responders about the value of "whole blood" in January 2024. Typically, when a patient picked up by ambulance is losing blood, first responders give them either IV fluid or saline solution to stabilize them until they can get to the hospital.

Under this new program, Goochland first responders are now equipped with and capable of administering up to two units of O+ whole blood to patients in need. All staff underwent extensive training prior to the program's launch, officials said.

The sooner patients can receive a blood transfusion, the better, as a person can bleed to death within 3 to 5 minutes. Officials stressed that, especially given how far some parts of Goochland are from the nearest trauma centers, this upgrade will save lives.

"Whole blood," used for emergency medical intervention. (Photo: Goochland County Department of Fire-Rescue and Emergency Services)

"Blood is the 'gift of life' and having a protocol to administer blood products to a patient bleeding and in shock can be lifesaving," the county said in a Sept. 29 press release. "Administering blood [in a] pre-hospital environment reduces mortality and morbidity, and improv[es] patient outcomes and their quality of life."

Chief Eddie Ferguson thanked the county's partners in this effort, as well as local fire-rescue staff, for helping to make a whole blood program possible in Goochland.

“This is a pivotal moment and a huge leap forward for Goochland County Fire- Rescue," he said. "We are truly fortunate and blessed to have been afforded this opportunity to help our patients and serve our community in this way."