Dallas Fire-Rescue has increased the capacity of its pre-hospital blood transfusion program by integrating two additional emergency units into its response fleet. The department stated that the expansion is intended to accelerate the delivery of life-saving care to patients experiencing severe blood loss.
The two new units are temperature-controlled, military-grade blood coolers. Each cooler is capable of carrying two pints of blood at all times. The equipment was donated by the organization Safer Dallas Better Dallas. With these additions, the total number of specialized blood storage units operated by the department has reached seven. These units are distributed across various locations in the city.
Officials indicated that the primary goal of the program is to treat patients suffering from severe hemorrhaging, which is a major cause of preventable death after traumatic injuries. The department noted that providing blood transfusions before a patient arrives at a hospital can significantly improve survival rates. By utilizing the expanded fleet, EMS supervisors can now transport blood to most parts of Dallas within 10 minutes.
The pre-hospital blood transfusion program was initially launched in February 2025. Since that time, emergency crews have administered blood transfusions in the field 71 times. Department officials reported that the majority of patients who received these transfusions experienced positive outcomes.
Dallas Fire-Rescue credited Safer Dallas Better Dallas for its continued support, which facilitated the program's expansion and increased access to critical emergency care. In a statement regarding the expansion, the department emphasized that the success of the initiative is measured by the number of lives saved.
