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    Deaconess Health System Distributes 72 Blanket Warmers to EMS Agencies Across District 10 to Improve Trauma Care

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    While temperatures continue to rise this summer, Deaconess Health System is already taking steps to prepare for the colder months—and much more. In a proactive move to improve trauma care across Southwestern Indiana, Deaconess distributed 72 state-of-the-art blanket warmers to emergency response agencies throughout District. Thanks to a nearly $53,000 grant secured with the help of Dr. Jay Woodland, Sr. Vice President, Chief Medical Officer, Deaconess Clinic, these warmers will be installed in frontline EMS vehicles across 12 counties. These devices will play a critical role in improving outcomes for patients suffering from traumatic injuries, including gunshot wounds and serious falls—both of which can result in dangerously low body temperatures, regardless of the season.
     
    “We want to make sure EMS agencies across District 10 have the tools they need to warm patients early—because that can be lifesaving,” said Dr. Woodland. “These blanket warmers will help fight hypothermia in trauma patients who are losing blood. Even when the ambient temperature is high like we have in the summer months, hypothermia is still a real risk for those who are seriously injured. Each blanket warmer can hold four to five blankets, making it a practical, high-impact addition to frontline ambulances.”
     
    Currently, many EMS teams use standard blankets to stabilize patient body temperature. The new blanket warmers will offer a more effective and controlled way to maintain body heat before patients reach the emergency department, helping to prevent the onset of hypothermia—a condition that can lead to the dangerous “triad of death” in trauma care: hypothermia, coagulopathy, and acidosis.
     
    District 10 includes Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Gibson, Knox, Martin, Perry, Pike, Posey, Spencer, Vanderburgh, and Warrick counties. Many of these rural areas experience extended transport times, increasing the risk of patients arriving cold and destabilized.
     
    “This initiative is about giving first responders the tools they need to provide the best possible care, from the field all the way to the hospital doors,” said Jeff Ezell, EMS Coordinator at Deaconess. “Warm patients have better outcomes, and that starts in the back of the ambulance.”
     
    Chris Young, Director of Pike County EMS, emphasized the local impact: “We’re incredibly grateful to Deaconess for this donation. This equipment will directly benefit our teams and, more importantly, our patients throughout District 10.”
     
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