Washington County Ambulance & Chair EMS announced their new life saving procedure that is being used at less than 100 EMS providers nationwide. With the cooperation of UPMC, Ambulance and Chair will now be able to administer blood to patients in dire need of transfusions on site. Approximately 50 EMT’s will now be able to operate two equipped vehicles that carry type O blood for patients that would be in grave danger because of long travel distances to trauma units. Larry Pollock, Executive Director of Ambulance & Chair EMS says that this will increase survivability of rural patients suffering significant trauma and medical emergencies. Larry Pantuso is the Chairman of the Board of Directors for Ambulance & Chair EMS and he calls the ability to infuse blood from an ambulance a game changer in patient care in rural communities. UPMC Medical Director of Prehospital Care and Chief Medical Officer of Ambulance & Chair Dr. Vincent Mosesso says that they are grateful to be able to make a difference to people of Washington County. According to Pollock, in the last seven days Ambulance & Chair have administered blood on scene two times. Once to a woman suffering post partum hemorrhaging and the second to an accident victim that was trapped in their car over an embankment. A legislative change by the Pennsylvania Department of Health Bureau of Emergency Medical Services now allows specially trained paramedics to administer blood in the field.