Canton’s new EMS truck offers life-saving blood transfusions en route to hospital [Video]

A new Emergency Medical Services truck in Canton, Massachusetts, has been put into action for the first time, offering a life-saving blood transfusion to a severely injured driver en route to the hospital.”Right away, we knew this patient was a candidate for the blood,” said Canton firefighter Michael White, who responded to the scene.The 35-year-old driver’s blood pressure had dropped, he was in shock and showed signs of internal bleeding, all criteria patients must meet to receive a transfusion of blood carried by the truck.”We were seeing small improvements by the time we got to Boston Medical Center, so I really think it saved his life,” White said.Acting Fire Chief Fred Viola of Braintree Fire Department highlighted the significance of this new capability. “Medics have the capability of replacing with fluid, but when you are replacing with whole blood, that’s a game changer, it really is,” Viola said.Dr. Crisanto Torres, …