Sanford EMS Administers Whole Blood for First Time; Helps Save Life

Philip Maenza, Jr. says he believes the program is Heaven-sent.

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) – The uninitiated may have assumed that EMS already used whole blood when administering care – but it turns out, it’s exceedingly rare.

Blood needs to be kept at a specific temperature range to be viable, and with a chronic blood shortage in the U-S, it takes training, discretion, and care to be able to store some for emergency purposes.

This practice is common in combat situations, and with some Sanford staff having a military background, they felt they could handle the responsibility.

That responsibility was put to the test for the first time on the evening of July 17.

Philip Maenza Jr. doesn’t remember much of the motorcycle accident that broke his femur and caused severe internal bleeding.

“We talk about shock indexes when we say how bad a patient is bleeding. Anything over 1 is concerning. 1.2 is significant. His was 1.8,” said Dr. Rebekah Devasahayam of Sanford.

When he was told he was the first person in the state of North Dakota to receive this lifesaving care, however, his overwhelming emotion was one of gratitude.

“I believe God worked it all out, that’s what I believe,” said Maenza. “That they did this program for me. And the others that are gonna see this happen. And I think it’s a wonderful thing.”

His incident took place in Mapleton, and medical personnel say that’s where this practice can be most effective – rural areas where the time spent getting to the hospital itself could be the difference between life and death.

After witnessing the deployment in action, they’re thankful they have this weapon in their arsenal, but they want to use Philip’s story as a call to action.

Right now, the blood they use from this program is entirely flown in from other areas, like Denver.

If they want to expand this lifesaving care, they need more local donors. So they are urging people to come in and donate as much blood as possible.