As of Thursday, the Lehighton Ambulance Association’s Advanced Life Support units began carrying and administering blood products to help people faster on the way to the hospital.

The organization said this is a significant advancement in the care Lehighton Ambulance can provide to patients. Lehighton is the first EMS group in Lehighton to participate in the program.

Matt Derkosh, program coordinator, who also serves as operations manager of Lehighton Ambulance Association, has helped lead the development and implementation of the program and will serve as the primary contact for questions regarding its operation.

Derkosh said, “Lehighton Ambulance Association is committed to advancing the level of care available to our communities before patients ever reach the hospital.

“By bringing blood products into the prehospital environment, we are giving our paramedics another critical tool to treat life-threatening blood loss from both traumatic injury and serious medical emergencies. For a large, predominantly rural service area, this program represents an important step forward in delivering advanced, time-sensitive care closer to the patient and improving the opportunity for better outcomes.”

Lehighton Ambulance will provide the service throughout Carbon County and the surrounding region in partnership with Miller-Keystone Blood Center, headquartered in Bethlehem.

Miller-Keystone provides blood products and services to more than 30 hospitals across 22 counties in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and supports prehospital blood programs operated by Allentown and Bethlehem EMS.

Time matters

“Carrying blood on ambulances and giving EMS personnel the ability to treat severe blood loss before a patient reaches the hospital is a game changer,” said Hope Dorn, vice president of Operational Services for Miller-Keystone Blood Center. “That time matters, especially for patients in more rural areas. There is no question that the implementation of this program has the potential to save lives in Carbon County and the surrounding region.”

The launch follows nearly a year of planning, research, education, coordination, and program development.

“Implementation of the program includes specialized provider education and competency training, protocols for the storage and administration of blood products, and coordination with our medical direction and health care partners,” the organization posted on Facebook.

“This initiative represents another step in Lehighton Ambulance Association’s continued commitment to advancing pre-hospital emergency medicine and bringing hospital-level lifesaving interventions closer to the patient. We are extremely proud of the providers, educators, medical professionals, and partners whose work made this program possible,” Derkosh said.

Derkosh added, “Our program will service over 450 square miles of primary coverage in Carbon County, which translates to about 75,000 residents and visitors. Lehighton Ambulance will also service surrounding areas when requested for a blood response by our EMS partners as part of a regional effort to put this lifesaving treatment in the toolbox of as many prehospital providers as possible.”

Derkosh said they will be carrying primarily O negative whole blood, which is commonly referred to as the universal blood type.

Derkosh said the program comes at significant expense to the agency; however, the need for it is critical.

He said donations may be made directly to this program on the donations page at lehightonambulance.org and by selecting the pre-hospital blood program in the drop-down.

Blood donations needed

Dorn stessed the need for people to donate blood. Lehighton Ambulance will host drives.

Miller-Keystone operates six regional donor centers and 11 satellite locations throughout its service area, including:

• Brodheadsville: Western Pocono Community Ambulance, 131 Pilgrim Way – two days each month;

• Lehighton: Bethany Wesleyan Church, 1122 Fairyland Road – one day per month;

• Nesquehoning: Nesquehoning Fire Company, 953 E. Catawissa St. – one day every-other month;

• Palmerton: Palmerton Sokol Club, 452 Lehigh Ave. – one day every-other month, and;

• Stroudsburg: St. Luke’s Hospital-Monroe, 100 St. Luke’s Lane - one day per month.

People interested in supporting the program and the regional blood supply are encouraged to donate with Miller-Keystone Blood Center. To find an upcoming community blood drive, visit GiveAPint.org. To host a blood drive, call 610-691-5850, ext. 1218.