The Prince William County Department of Fire and Rescue System will launch its Advanced Care Field Operations Program, aiming to improve survival rates for trauma victims by allowing emergency medical services (EMS) supervisors to administer blood at the scene of an incident. This practice, previously limited to hospitals, is intended to bridge the critical time gap between injury and hospital care.
The initiative was developed in partnership with the Northern Virginia Emergency Response System and Inova Blood Donor Services. According to Dr. Aman Shah, Operational Medical Director for the department, providing blood during the “golden hour”—the first hour after a critical injury—can be crucial for patient survival. “If we give blood within that hour, especially early in that hour, we can decrease the risk of that patient dying of those injuries because we’re giving them back what they need,” Shah said.
In support of this program, three specially equipped vehicles will be deployed across east, west, and mid-county areas. These units will operate 24 hours a day and EMS staff will undergo quarterly recertification. The Northern Virginia Emergency Response System is supplying necessary equipment while Inova Blood Donor Services will provide and rotate blood supplies every two weeks.
A community blood drive is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025 at O.W.L. Fire Station 2 in Woodbridge from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., in partnership with Inova Blood Donor Services. Community members are encouraged to donate blood by making appointments online at inovabloodsaves.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/35458.
Chief Tom LaBelle emphasized that community participation through donations is essential: “Whole blood is essential to the program’s success and can only be provided through donations. Each contribution from a community member enables EMS and hospital teams to work together to save the lives of others in their time of greatest need.”
Dr. Shah also highlighted public involvement: “This is a partnership with our citizens. Through participation in local blood drives and ongoing community engagement, the public plays a direct role in saving lives.”
The program will initially begin as a pilot in eastern Prince William County before all three units are fully operational by February 2026. EMS Operations Battalion Chief Robert Moreau said: “This is a huge benefit for county residents, visitors and commuters coming through the 95 and 66 corridors.”
Alongside administering blood on-site, EMS supervisors involved in this initiative will carry ultrasound equipment to better assess patients’ conditions—including cardiac activity or causes of respiratory distress such as fluid or collapsed lungs.
“We’re going to save a lot of lives,” Shah said.
