Minnesota State Troopers make special life-saving delivery

ST. PAUL, Minn. — When you hear sirens and see flashing lights, you might think you're about to get pulled over.

But not all squad cars with sirens activated mean traffic trouble — sometimes it's a dash to make a delivery.

Minnesota State Patrol troopers have many duties, including a very specific and unique one.

"We were dispatched for call for service to do a blood run," said Trooper Deanna Wayne said.

Wayne was on a mission to get life-saving blood, specifically platelets from the Red Cross in St. Paul to a patient at a hospital in Morris.

Wayne and six others jumped into action forming a 170-mile relay from the metro to west central Minnesota.

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The call came in just after 8 a.m. on Jan. 25, that a patient needed platelets.

Matthew Fahning with the Red Cross says this collaboration with the Minnesota State Patrol is crucial, especially when smaller hospitals don't have platelets on hand in a dire situation.

"It's not a product that has a long life on it and we need to get it to the patients in fast manner," Fahning stated. 

Platelet donations have a five-day shelf life.

In Wayne's dash cam you can see her take off, and then hand off the life-saving supplies.

Between her and a half-dozen other troopers, the trip took just two hours thanks to a high-speed, life-saving relay.

"That relay system works for them, works for us, and works for the patient," Fahning said. "It's a well-oiled machine."

The patient who received the platelets did not want to do an interview, but they wanted everyone to know the good news: Since getting that donation, they're doing better and they're out of the hospital.