Safety Initiatives

WHAT IS PREHOSPITAL BLOOD TRANSFUSION?

Prehospital blood transfusion provides whole blood or blood components to patients who are bleeding severely, at the scene or on the way to the hospital. It gives patients a better chance of survival from a vehicle crash, a penetrating trauma or a medical emergency.⁴

HOW PREHOSPITAL BLOOD PROGRAMS SUPPORT LAW ENFORCEMENT

“Preventable line-of-duty deaths are ones we can change. When blood is on scene, an officer who is critically injured has a better chance of survival.” — Below 100

IMPROVED OFFICER SAFETY

In 2025, 445 officers were assaulted and injured by firearms¹, and 13 were struck and killed outside their patrol vehicles.²

In August 2026, Dallas Fire-Rescue transfused blood to a Dallas school district police officer shot on duty³. Read the story ›

IMPROVED RESPONSE TO PENETRATING TRAUMA

Blood at the scene can help patients with gunshot or stab wounds survive until they reach the hospital.⁴

IMPROVED CRASH RESPONSE

Blood at the scene of a crash gives severely bleeding patients a better chance of survival.⁴

PROGRAMS IN ACTION

GENESEE COUNTY (MI) SHERIFF’S OFFICE
Since 2026⁵
Learn more ›

“We aren’t just rushing people to the hospital
anymore; we are bringing the most critical
part of the hospital to them.”
— Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson⁵

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DELAWARE STATE POLICE
Since 2025⁶
Learn more ›

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MARYLAND STATE POLICE
Since 2023⁷
Learn more ›

LAW ENFORCEMENT — A KEY PLAYER IN PREHOSPITAL BLOOD PROGRAMS
Blood programs are successful when police, sheriffs, blood suppliers, hospitals and EMS plan together.

Become an advocate for prehospital blood in your community. Ask EMS partners if they carry blood or how you can help start a program, and take a seat at the table. See How to Build a Program.
Implement call-taking protocols. Ask 911 partners if they use call-taking protocols and how they can assist with identifying patients who may need prehospital blood transfusion at the scene.
Control bleeding until EMS arrives. Follow agency protocols for tourniquets and bleeding control, and support Stop the Bleed training in your community.
Prevent secondary crashes. Strong traffic incident management is important to keep law enforcement and other responders safe at the scene of a crash.

BETTER CARE FOR SEVERELY BLEEDING PATIENTS

11%

Severe bleeding is the primary cause of preventable trauma deaths, and every minute of delay in giving blood raises the risk of death by 11%.⁸

37%

of trauma patients with severe bleeding could be saved with
prehospital blood.⁸

42%

Each year, 911 dispatches law enforcement to nearly 6 million crashes.⁹ In 2022, 42% of people who died in traffic crashes were alive when first responders arrived.¹⁰

RESOURCES TO EXPLORE

Find Programs Near You

Explore the Prehospital Blood Transfusion Coalition’s interactive map.
Learn more ›

Prehospital Blood Transfusion

The EMS.gov hub for prehospital blood transfusion.
Learn more ›

Prehospital Blood Infographics

Post-crash care, program implementation and more.
Learn more ›

EMS.GOV WEBINAR SERIES

Prehospital Blood Transfusion in Practice: Building Your Own Program

Nationally recognized experts, researchers and public safety leaders share evidence-based research, real-world lessons and best practices for building a prehospital blood program.

Find upcoming sessions and register on the EMS.gov Webinars page ›

Sources: (1) FBI, “Officers Killed and Assaulted in the Line of Duty, 2025”; (2) National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, 2025 End-of-Year Fatalities Report; (3) CBS News Texas (Aug. 7, 2026); (4) National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians, “Saving More Lives with Prehospital Blood Products” (July 24, 2024); (5) American Red Cross Michigan Region (May 18, 2026); (6) Delaware State Police (Feb. 17, 2025); (7) Maryland State Police (Aug. 21, 2023); (8) NHTSA Office of EMS, “Prehospital Blood Transfusion: A Lifesaving Solution for Trauma Patients”; (9) NHTSA Office of EMS, “911 and Highway Safety Countermeasures”; (10) NHTSA Office of EMS, “Post-Crash Care” infographic (Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2022 data). Resource descriptions are from EMS.gov and the Prehospital Blood Transfusion Coalition. Program details are as reported by each agency. See each resource for
original study citations.