PHOTOS: Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley joined local leaders and first responders Monday to roll up their sleeves and donate blood in honor of National Emergency Medical Services Week.
The event, held at the Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin, highlighted the vital connection between blood donations and emergency care- especially as EMS teams increasingly perform whole blood transfusions in the field. “I think donating blood is critical,” says Chief Health Policy Advisor and Medical Director, Dr. Ben Weston.
”When 911 is called, instead of having to wait to get to the hospital, you can get blood right there on the scene. And we know that every minute counts. For every minute delay, it’s a 2% increase in mortality. So when we can give somebody the blood right away, after they’re hit by a car, they fall off a ladder, they get shot, whatever that trauma is, we can save lives by doing that. The blood you give today can help that person in the future.”
Alongside Crowley and Weston were Cassandra Libal, Director of Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management, and EMS Division Director Dan Pojar. The event also served as a call to action for the community to donate blood and support first responders.
