Prince William County Fire and Rescue Launches Advanced Care Field Operations Program to Save Lives

The Prince William County Department of Fire and Rescue System is set to roll out its Advanced Care Field Operations Program, a groundbreaking initiative designed to improve the survival chances of people suffering physical trauma. 

Developed in partnership with the Northern Virginia Emergency Response System and Inova Blood Donor Services, the program equips Emergency Medical Services, or EMS, supervisors to administer blood on-scene to trauma victims, a life-saving measure traditionally reserved for hospitals. 

Dr. Aman Shah, Department of Fire & Rescue Operational Medical Director, said administering blood on the scene provides a critical advantage between trauma and hospital treatment. 

Administering blood during the “golden hour,” the first hour following critical injury, can significantly improve the chances of survival since delays in controlling bleeding or restoring circulation can be fatal. 

“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,” said Shah. 

In the coming months, the county’s Fire and Rescue System will deploy three vehicles, each stocked with blood, strategically across the east, west, and mid-county areas. These units will operate around the clock and undergo quarterly recertification to ensure continued competency and readiness.  

As part of the program’s launch, Fire and Rescue will host a community blood drive with Inova from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025, at O.W.L. Fire Station 2, 1306 F St., Woodbridge. Appointments can be scheduled at: inovabloodsaves.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/35458 

Chief Tom LaBelle of the Fire and Rescue System said the whole blood program, developed in collaboration with Inova Blood Donor Services, embodies the community spirit of neighbor helping neighbor. 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.  

Shah said the initiative represents a major step forward in providing world-class emergency care and underscored the significance of community partnership. 

“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 Northern Virginia Emergency Response System is providing the equipment, and Inova Blood Donor Services will supply and rotate the blood every two weeks. 

EMS Operations Battalion Chief Robert Moreau said the Advanced Care Field Operations program will be piloted in the eastern end of the county, with all three units deployed by February 2026. 

“This is a huge benefit for county residents, visitors and commuters coming through the 95 and 66 corridors,” Moreau said.  

In addition to administering blood, EMS supervisors will carry ultrasound equipment to provide more accurate assessments in the field, helping determine cardiac activity and identify causes of respiratory distress like fluid in the lungs or a collapsed lung. 

“We’re going to save a lot of lives,” Shah said.