ORANGEBURG COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) - Orangeburg County Emergency Medical Services has a new resource for emergencies when every second counts.

Orangeburg County EMS officials used a new device called TRAUMAGEL to stop the bleeding of a volunteer firefighter in late August.

TRAUMAGEL is a syringe of a plant-based mixture made of algae that is meant to control the bleeding of moderate to severe injuries and wounds. The thick mixture is meant to seal wounds on impact to the skin in order to help the patient with the process of blood clotting. Each syringe costs $130.

Volunteer firefighter Casey Bolin was the first person in South Carolina to use the gel after cutting his hand with a miter saw.

Bolin’s arm was placed in a tourniquet in hopes to stop the bleeding. The action put Bolin at risk o

See Full Page