Blood delivery has taken flight in Hillsborough County, where Fire Rescue is preparing to launch what county officials described as the nation’s first emergency medical services drone program to deliver whole blood to patients before they reach the hospital.
The Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (HCFR) said the Drone Whole Blood Delivery Program is designed to help patients experiencing severe blood loss at emergency scenes.
Instead of waiting until a patient reaches the hospital, paramedics can request a unit of whole blood to be delivered directly to the scene by drone.
The drone carries a temperature-controlled unit of whole blood. HCFR said the blood can be administered to a patient within three and a half minutes or less of the drone request.
The program aims to help save the lives of people suffering severe injuries from traffic crashes, traumatic incidents and other emergencies where significant blood loss can become life-threatening.
HCFR said most ambulances do not carry whole blood. The drone program is designed to bridge that gap by providing blood before a patient reaches the hospital.
Officials said the initiative has been in development for more than two years. HCFR told the county that the idea emerged after officials met with Archer First Response Systems, a Sarasota-based company that provides drone delivery services. Tampa General Hospital also joined the partnership.
