Killeen Fire Department Launches Groundbreaking Pre-Hospital Program

Big things are happening in the City of Killeen as the Killeen Fire Department has officially launched its Whole Blood Program. This is exciting news not only for Killeen but for all of Central Texas. The Killeen Fire Department has become the first agency in the Central Texas Regional Advisory Council (CTRAC) region to carry whole blood. It is also the only fire-based EMS agency in the region to provide this lifesaving capability.

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Killeen Fire Department Launches Historic Whole Blood Initiative for Emergency Response

This is a major milestone for the City of Killeen. The new program will allow EMS 1 and EMS 2 vehicles to be equipped with Wi-Fi-connected blood storage refrigerators, each capable of carrying one unit of low-titer O-positive whole blood. The program also provides the fire department with the fastest access to two units of whole blood that can be administered immediately to patients experiencing life-threatening blood loss.

What Does The Killeen Fire Chief Say About The Changes?

Killeen Fire Chief Jim Kubinski stated, "After 14 years of planning, collaboration, and dedication by numerous members of the Killeen Fire Department, our Whole Blood Program is officially going live."Chief Kubinski went on to say, "Early administration of whole blood has been shown to improve outcomes for patients suffering from severe blood loss, and this capability represents a significant advancement in the level of pre-hospital care our department can provide."

A Big Change Has Happened In Central Texas

For patients experiencing traumatic blood loss, this program could truly be lifesaving. It's encouraging to see the City of Killeen and Central Texas continue investing in innovative emergency medical care. Thanks to this new program, our community just became a little safer.