‘Every minute counts’: Snyder emergency air medical base now carries whole blood

SNYDER, Texas ( KTAB/KRBC ) – Since 2005, Native Air Emergency Air Medical Base in Snyder has been serving the Big Country. The crew of pilots, nurses, paramedics, mechanics, and the manager is always on standby to respond to an emergency.

Flight paramedic and Snyder native Jason Guynes knew from a young age that he wanted to help other people. His mother, who worked as a paramedic, inspired him to do the same one day. He stressed that while he has worked as an ambulance EMS worker, working in a helicopter is their biggest advantage.

“You take the drive time in an ambulance and cut it in at least half, and that is our flight time. The rural hospitals and rural EMS services. Some of these places just to even get an ambulance out there to you are looking at a minimum of 30 minutes just to get an ambulance out there,” explained Guynes.

Now, the crew can help people in a new way. Previously, the team carried red blood cells and plasma, but carrying whole blood allows them to provide life-saving blood transfusions while on air.

“All of the studies are coming out showing that the patient does better when receiving early whole blood. Early as in, don’t wait till they get to the hospital to give it. Give it as soon as you can. For any call where there is a massive hemorrhage where the patient is bleeding out, we want to first stop that bleeding, and then second, we want to replace the blood they let out with blood. Automobile accidents – oil field accidents – some medical conditions like GI bleeds require that, so any type of those incidents will give it. We don’t hesitate to give it,” added Guynes.

He stressed that every minute counts and the team works year-round to save lives every day. The blood donations are sourced from a blood bank in San Antonio. This enables rural hospitals to perform crucial blood transfusions even when they are running low on blood supply.

“From the aviation site to the medical crew site, we all do this because we want to help people. And some of these days, like I said, really bad car wreck, really bad traumatic accident, that’s the worst day of somebody’s life, and you are there to help them; it’s a good feeling,” shared Guynes.

You can find more information about the team and the introduction of whole blood in the Air Methods press release.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com.