The Tidewater EMS Council (TEMS) has reached another major milestone: its regional prehospital whole blood program has now completed its 700th blood administration. Earlier this year, we highlighted the success of TEMS’s Whole Blood Initiative when it had passed 450 transfusions. In the months since, the program has continued to grow, adding the City of Hampton in August and passing 650 transfusions the same month.

The 700th case, which TEMS shared on Instagram, shows how far the program has come. EMS crews were called to a man just short of his 80th birthday with a gastrointestinal bleed. He was pale, clammy, barely responsive, with a weak pulse and fast, shallow breathing. Recognizing the extent of his blood loss, the crew transfused a unit of whole blood on scene. His blood pressure became measurable again, his breathing slowed, his color returned and he became alert and oriented. At the hospital, he was diagnosed with perforated diverticulitis, a time-critical emergency that is often fatal. Thanks to the crew’s quick action, he’ll now be celebrating his 80th birthday.

It’s also a reminder of how far the program has evolved since launching in Virginia Beach in October 2022. While whole blood is often associated with trauma, TEMS extended treatment to medical emergencies and pediatric patients in 2023. Today, whole blood is carried by EMS agencies across Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, York County and Hampton, with blood supplied by The Blood Connection, according to TEMS.

At Delta Development Team, we’re proud to support TEMS across the region. Their crews carry whole blood in the Delta ICE 2L Smart Blood Cooler, with BloodCOMM® Premium giving the program real-time visibility of every unit in the field. Congratulations to the providers, medical direction and hospital partners behind all 700 transfusions.