Donate
Operation Pulse Lift - Emergency Blood Transport
Operation Pulse Lift
Emergency Blood Transports
Civil Air Patrol provides a 24/7 - 365 day a year "Life-Saving" - Emergency Blood, Organ, and Tissue transport capability in every state of the nation, including Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. These transports are done at no cost to the requesting agency, the receiving facility, or the patient/their family. This no-cost humanitarian response is provided through the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC), Tyndall AFB. The number above should be dialed providing the following information to the officer taking the call.
- Requesting agency, primary contact name, address, and phone number.
- Urgency of situation. Is this for life-saving, emergency surgery support, or to fill a pending/anticipated disaster emergency situation.
- Destination facility(s), contact name(s), and phone number(s).
- Description of items requiring transport (blood products, organ, tissue, etc).
- Type and quantity of boxes with dimensions and weight.
- Desired pickup location.
- Time available for pickup.
- Destination location and who will be picking up the items (with phone contacts).
- Will escort of items (accompanying medical personnel) be needing transport also. More information will be required on them, their name, position, phone number, weight, etc)
- Any special instructions.
Baring weather, or other unplanned delays, CAP supported Emergency Transports by aircraft can typically be launched within two hours from the initial call and travel up to 500 miles in one trip without refueling. Ground transports can be done much sooner. Coordination should include the agency delivering the blood to the CAP aircraft, at the airport chosen for pick-up, and also at the drop off location. CAP ground transport can also assist with this if requested from hospital/blood bank to airport and from receiving airport to hospital/blood bank. During disaster support operations, CAP can be called upon to pickup blood at blood collection centers/drives and transport the blood to processing/distribution centers, or directly to hospitals/treatment centers.
During impending/anticipated or on-going/protracted disaster operations, non-military requesting agencies should contact their State Emergency Operations Center and request a state-to-federal "Mission Assignment" for the movement of blood/blood products by CAP throughout and post-incident response and recovery phases. Otherwise, for individual requirements use the number at the button above. Military agencies should contact the AFRCC or Headquarters First Air Force - Air Operations Center for mission support.
Again, while CAP provides support to this mission (and you can request CAP by name for this support), the AFRCC will decide the fastest and most reliable means for the critical transport (to include use of available active duty military, National Guard, or Coast Guard resources). Typically our transport limitations are only weather, as a result, we can provide both ground an air transport support to your requests. We can also use multiple aircraft/vehicles (or a combination of each) and/or crews in a "Pony-Express" tactic - extending the range, duration, and capability of the mission. If you have any questions regarding this agile capability you can contact pulselift@capnhq.gov or (480) 298-2603 (24/7 - 365 days a year), however in time-sensitive emergencies, always contact the above number in the red button.
