Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Emergency Medical Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County fire/EMS honored for Advanced Care Paramedic program that brings hospital-level care to the field
Summary
The Virginia Association of Counties presented James City County an achievement award for its Advanced Care Paramedic program, which includes prehospital whole-blood transfusion capability and expanded critical-care skills; staff said the program has treated nearly 100 patients in the field and reduced helicopter transports by more than 90%.
The Virginia Association of Counties presented an achievement award on Tuesday recognizing James City County—s Advanced Care Paramedic (ACP) program, a fire-department-led initiative that brings enhanced critical-care interventions to patients before they reach a hospital.
Dr. Amir Luca, medical director for the county—s fire-based EMS, recounted a 2021 motor-vehicle crash that prompted the program and described its goal: to "buy time" for critically injured patients by delivering interventions usually available only inside trauma centers. "Within a year the fire department had implemented and deployed the first and only prehospital blood transfusion program in the region," Dr. Luca said. He and Chief Betsy Sink described training, scope and results: "Since inception, nearly 100 patients who would have almost certainly bled to death in the field have received life saving blood transfusions," they said, and use of helicopters for transport has fallen by over 90%.
The program trains advanced-care paramedics for skills more commonly found in emergency departments, including whole-blood transfusion, advanced airway management, point-of-care ultrasound and other resuscitative measures. Staff said equipment purchases were supported by federal CARES Act funds and that training is included within the existing budget with no additional ongoing staffing needs.
Board members thanked EMS leadership and staff for the program and gathered for a photograph with the award. The board also acknowledged regional participation after recent academy classes included first-time participants from Williamsburg and Newport News fire departments.
