Annual state convention
South Texas Blood & Tissue has been presented the 2023 Partnership Recognition Award by the Texas Division of Emergency Management.
The award recognizes STB&T efforts following the Uvalde school shooting, forming bonds with the community through SA Challenge blood drives with members of the city council, and the Heroes in Arms program’s contributions to community preparedness.
It was presented Thursday at the agency’s Texas Emergency Management Conference in Fort Worth. The annual conference attracts more than 3,000 participants a year.
Emergency preparedness
According to its website, TDEM “coordinates the state emergency management program, which is intended to ensure the state and its local governments respond to and recover from emergencies and disasters and implement plans and programs to help prevent or lessen the impact of emergencies and disasters.”
TDEM, which is part of the Texas A&M University System, works to increase public awareness about threats and hazards, coordinates emergency planning, provides specialized training for emergency responders and local officials, and administers disaster recovery and hazard mitigation programs in the state.
Here is the full text of the STB&T nomination, addressing each of the award criteria:
Non-monetary contributions to the local community during an emergency:
South Texas Blood & Tissue organized blood drives for South Texas communities following the Uvalde school shooting to offer a way for those communities to support Uvalde. STB&T kept its doors open late, added more beds, and brought in more employees to accommodate thousands of South Texans wishing to donate in the aftermath of the tragedy.
The organization also added last-minute blood drives in Uvalde in the days following the shooting to allow community members a chance to donate blood.
South Texas Blood & Tissue aided victims of the Uvalde school shooting through offering 25 units of blood to be transported to the scene and to area hospitals shortly after the tragedy. STB&T was able to deliver the blood units the 83 miles from San Antonio to Uvalde via helicopter 67 minutes after receiving the emergency alert.
Strong partnership with local officials:
Since 2021, South Texas Blood & Tissue has joined with San Antonio City Council to host SA Challenge blood drives, with competition between council districts.
These drives are normally held when it is the most difficult to attract donors, including summer, winter holidays and spring break. More than 900 donations were made, and more than 2,700 patients were helped at the past four SA Challenge Blood Drives.
Participation in the local community in preparedness and mitigation initiatives:
The Heroes in Arms program at South Texas Blood & Tissue, initially funded by the San Antonio Medical Foundation, was launched through an agreement among South Texas Blood & Tissue; the South Texas Regional Advisory Council; University Health System; the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research; UT Health Science Center-San Antonio; and major medical helicopter services.
The program is a whole blood transfusion system used in the field on emergency medical vehicles and in San Antonio’s two Level I Trauma centers. A study published in the Annals of Surgery journal last year showed that giving trauma patients whole blood – rather than one of the blood’s components alone – reduces mortality rates by 48%.
Because of the program, STB&T was prepared to help 10-year-old Uvalde shooting survivor, Mayah, to receive the lifesaving blood transfusions she needed on the scene in emergency vehicles.
To further improve the disaster response efforts of South Texas Blood & Tissue, a helipad has been installed for resupply missions or air medical units. This allows for faster and more efficient transportation of blood and blood products to areas that may be difficult to reach by road.
