Why North Flight Aero Med Relies on the °M Warmer System in the Air
In March 2025, North Flight Aero Med, a joint venture between Corewell Health and Munson Healthcare, became the first civilian air program in the United States to deploy the °M Warmer System.
Solving a Critical Challenge in Emergency Medicine
The °M Warmer System is a portable blood-warming device designed specifically for rapid in-field transfusions. The system is compact, lightweight, and fits easily inside a single bag, making it easy for flight teams to bring it directly to the patient.
According to Dr. Aaron Ziegler, Medical Director for North Flight Aero Med, it drastically improved the speed and safety of administering blood to patients suffering from severe blood loss.
“Without the blood warmer, we’re literally putting frigid liquids into their body,” explained Dr. Aaron Ziegler, “The ability to go from refrigerator temperature to 98.6 degrees within seconds is huge.”
Transfusing cold blood can cause a patient’s temperature to plummet, and hypothermia is a well-known threat in trauma care that can worsen bleeding, impair clotting, and reduce survival. For many patients, a rapid drop in body temperature can be as dangerous as the injury itself, making the ability to deliver warmed blood immediately a critical factor in recovery.
The ability to go from refrigerator temperature to 98.6 degrees within seconds is huge.
ER-Level Care at First Response
With the °M Warmer System, life-saving treatment can start as soon as responders arrive
“Within minutes of us landing, we’re able to transfuse blood or plasma,” explains Dr. Aaron Ziegler.
The device has given Northern Michigan communities access to a level of emergency care typically available only inside a hospital.
“We’re actually taking the care that would be delivered in the ER in Traverse City and bringing it to the side of the road at the patient’s bedside,” Dr. Aaron Ziegler adds.
Raising the Bar for Air Medical Services Nationwide
North Flight Aero Med’s adoption of the °M Warmer is setting a new standard for air medical providers across the U.S.
As more programs watch its rollout and real-world impact, it is quickly becoming the new norm in both pre-hospital and hospital settings to provide faster, safer, and more effective care for trauma patients nationwide.
We’re actually taking the care that would be delivered in the ER in Traverse City and bringing it to the side of the road at the patient’s bedside
˚M Warmer System
The ˚M Warmer System is a portable blood and IV fluid warming device optimal for both pre-hospital and hospital use as it is small, simple to use, and easily integrates in existing workflows.