2021 is in full swing and we wanted to remind everyone January is National Blood Donor Month. Due to seasonal illnesses during the winter months and inclement weather conditions, donations of blood and platelets decline and demand increases. The American Red Cross has a critical need for blood and is encouraging everyone to donate this month.

Carrying blood and plasma has been a top priority for Air Methods for years because it is often needed for patients with traumatic injuries. However, in some areas, it has not always been a feasible option to carry blood or plasma given that those resources are often limited. For that reason, Air Methods is a longtime partner of the American Red Cross, which supplies our aircraft with blood and plasma.

As a company, Air Methods is proactive and wants to provide all the equipment of an ICU on its aircraft so patients in emergent care situations are cared for throughout the flight to or between hospitals. In patients at risk for hemorrhagic shock, the administration of thawed plasma during prehospital air medical transport has proven safe and resulted in lower 30-day mortality and a lower median prothrombin-time ratio than standard-care resuscitation.

The addition of plasma in each transport is a critical milestone as it provides the crew with another tool to use with the patient in time-sensitive situations, such as after a car accident where a patient is severely bleeding.

Blood donation is safer than ever before and saves millions of people including cancer patients, organ recipients, and victims of accidents. Those who donate blood during the month of January are entered for a chance to win two tickets to the 2022 Super Bowl.