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Omaha looks to expand post-crash care with EMS grant
MAPA is looking to secure funding to increase the odds of survival for people involved in crashes.
OMAHA, Neb. —
In trauma cases like crashes, blood loss is the leading cause of preventable death, according to federal data.
Here in Omaha, officials tell us nearly two-thirds of people killed in crashes died on the way to the hospital or at the hospital.
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The Metropolitan Area Planning Agency wants to improve those numbers.
MAPA is looking to secure funding to increase the odds of survival for people involved in crashes.
They say they’re applying for a $1.1 million grant to improve post-crash care in three different ways.
The first way they’re hoping to improve care is through techniques and tools used to stabilize vehicles.
“These are just poles, you know, just Ram equipment if they need to maneuver, move a vehicle and get it into a position where it’s not going to fall over on to somebody providing care,” said transportation planner Jim Boerner.
MAPA also looking to improve extrication with improvements to tools already in use, like the jaws of life.
“The equipment they’re looking at is battery powered. It can work under water,” said Boerner.
“The keyword is rapid, to do it more quickly so that they can gain access to the victim and provide that patient care,” said Boerner.
Additionally, they’re looking to expand pre-hospital blood transfusions throughout the metro, a program previewed by the Omaha and Bellevue Fire Departments in 2025.
“That provides very quickly, lifesaving blood to patients at the scene or in transport…for patients, car crashes or otherwise, where there’s severe bleeding,” said Boerner.
Boerner says the transfusion program has already provided blood to dozens of crash patients in a fraction of the time, and every minute counts.
“Each minute that you wait is 11% more likely that that somebody would die from that severe bleeding,” said Boerner.
Boerner says the project has a long road ahead, but they’re hoping to secure the grant by July 2027.
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