The Department of Public Safety’s Career Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Division and Calvert Advanced Life Support, in partnership with the Calvert County Board of County Commissioners, announced the launch of its Low-Titer Type O Positive (LTO+) Whole Blood Field Transfusion Program.

From the county press release:

“Delivering whole blood at the point of injury offers a critical advantage over traditional fluids,” said Dave McDowell, director of the Calvert County Department of Public Safety. “This program allows us to provide advanced, lifesaving care when it is needed most. We are proud to be the first EMS system in Southern Maryland to bring this capability to our community.”

Development of the program was accelerated following a critical incident in which Deputy James Flynt of the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office sustained a gunshot wound while pursuing a suspect. Flynt received whole blood after arriving at CalvertHealth Medical Center. Without the availability of whole blood at the hospital, he likely would not have survived. His survival underscores the importance of early recognition of the need for transfusion by EMS clinicians and hospital staff, and the critical role timely blood administration plays in trauma care.

With this initiative, Calvert County becomes the fifth prehospital EMS agency in Maryland and the 270th nationwide authorized to administer whole blood in the prehospital setting, bringing a lifesaving, hospital-level intervention directly to patients when every second matters.

Whole blood transfusion, long established as the standard of care in military medicine, is increasingly being adopted by civilian EMS systems. Clinical evidence shows whole blood significantly improves survival outcomes for patients experiencing life-threatening hemorrhage, particularly in cases of severe trauma.

The LTO+ Whole Blood Program allows specially trained EMS clinicians to administer FDA-approved, low-titer Type O positive whole blood to critically injured or ill patients before they arrive at the hospital. Early administration provides valuable time for patients to reach definitive surgical care, dramatically improving survival rates.