Shortly after 2100 hours Wednesday night, August 30, Ambulance 511B and Medic 511 responded to a call for injuries from an assault. Ambulance 511B arrived on scene first and were met by a male with a stab wound to his lower abdomen being assisted to the ambulance by police. Quickly recognizing the critical need for trauma center care, the crew began treatment of the patient and requested a helicopter for transport as well as an engine to set up a landing zone (LZ).

While Engine 511 was rolling out of the fire station, Medic 511 arrived on scene. The medics and came on board the ambulance and administered advanced life support interventions for the patient. Engine 511 arrived at a separate, designated location and set up the LZ for the Air Care medical helicopter to safely land. Once the LZ was established, they briefed the inbound helicopter pilots to prepare for their arrival. The patient was driven to the LZ, stabilized, loaded onto Air Care, and flown to a local trauma center for treatment of his injury.

Any time a helicopter has to make a landing, crews have to carefully coordinate to ensure that many moving pieces (ambulance, medic, engine, helicopter, police, etc.) safely come together to accomplish their goal. Great job to the Wednesday night engine and ambulance crews as well as Prince William County Medic A Shift!