AdventHealth and South Metro Fire Rescue bring lifesaving blood program to the community

On August 4, 2025, South Metro Fire Rescue (SMFR) and AdventHealth Parker launched a groundbreaking collaboration to ensure trauma patients receive lifesaving blood transfusions before ever reaching the hospital.

This partnership, one of the first of its kind in Colorado, is setting a new standard for emergency medical care and community benefit.

This initiative equips EMS supervisors with two units of O-negative blood to give to patients in hemorrhagic shock. Some examples include traumatic injuries, GI bleeds, or even pregnancy complications. The packed red blood cells are stored in advanced coolers with continuous temperature monitoring. If unused, the blood is returned to AdventHealth Parker’s blood bank within two weeks, ensuring zero waste.

“Studies have shown that hemorrhage or bleeding is a leading cause of potentially survivable prehospital death. Prehospital blood transfusions significantly reduce mortality risk. The sooner the patient can receive blood, the more lives can be saved,” said Kelly Jung, Regional Director of Trauma and EMS for AdventHealth in the Rocky Mountain Region.

The program is funded through the AdventHealth Parker Foundation and is available to all patients transported by SMFR, regardless of whether they are taken to an AdventHealth hospital. Thanks to the support from the Foundation, it means patients will not incur any additional bills for the treatment.

“This initiative is entirely supported through philanthropy. Our goal is to bring the best opportunity to have lifesaving blood prior to arriving at the hospital, saving critical time and increasing survival rates.” said Harmony Furlong, Director of the AdventHealth Parker Foundation.

This partnership was the brainchild of Jonathan Apfelbaum, MD, Medical Director for South Metro Fire Rescue and longtime emergency physician at AdventHealth Parker. He says the program represents years of data collection, advocacy, and determination.

“The data now shows that if we start blood within 30 minutes of injury, outcomes improve dramatically,” said Dr. Apfelbaum. “We looked at the evidence from similar blood programs in San Antonio, New Orleans, and Washington D.C. and they all showed fewer deaths, less blood needed overall, and shorter hospital stays when patients received a blood transfusion in the ambulance. We knew our community deserved this too.”

This new program has the potential to help thousands of people in the Denver metro area. SMFR covers an impressive 300 square miles, and serves 600,000 people including those living in Parker, Highlands Ranch, Castle Pines, and Aurora.

In the first month since the partnership launched, blood has already been used three times to help patients.

“We’re proud to lead the way in the state,” said Jung. “As early adopters, we’re helping set a new standard of care in Colorado and across the nation. This is about giving our patients the very best chance at survival.”

Thanks to the vision and dedication of SMFR, AdventHealth Parker, and their philanthropic supporters, more lives will have a fighting chance—before they ever reach the hospital doors.

“I always tell my crews, take care of every patient as if they were your own family,” said Dr. Apfelbaum. “The whole goal is to do what’s best for our community.”