Faculty

CJ Winckler

MD, LP
EMS Medical Director
UT Health San Antonio

C. J. Winckler serves as the deputy medical director for the San Antonio Fire Department, and medical director for North Channel EMS and Wilson County ESD 3. He is also the Texas Emergency Medical Task Force Regin 8 medical director. Dr. Winckler is an associate professor at the University of Texas San Antonio Health Science Center and Texas A&M College Station School of Medicine. He is the Immeidate past President of TX NAEMSP, Chair of GETAC EMS Medical Director’s Committee, and Vice Chair of GETAC Prehospital Whole Blood Task Force. In San Antonio he has developed telemedicine CPR for dispatch, an ECMO prehospital CPR Alert system, and the world’s first prehospital whole blood program to serve an entire metropolitan system.

2026 Sessions

The Prehospital Blood Hot Seat: Experts Answer Your Hardest Questions

Yes, I understand

Prehospital blood programs are expanding rapidly across the country; however, frontline providers and EMS leaders frequently encounter fundamental questions: When should blood be administered? What are the optimal training protocols? How should RhD status be managed? What strategies ensure long-term sustainability of such programs? Building on the momentum of national initiatives and emerging research, including the growing body of evidence supporting early blood-based resuscitation, this session provides a platform for attendees to pose operational inquiries and receive authoritative responses from the experts shaping the future of prehospital transfusion. Topics encompass clinical indications, safety considerations, cold-chain logistics, quality assurance, research trends, and program sustainability—no subject is beyond discussion.

This live Q&A panel convenes distinguished experts in trauma resuscitation, transfusion medicine, EMS operations, and prehospital research to engage in an open, candid, and efficient discussion tailored for field clinicians, educators, and administrators. Whether your agency is just starting to explore blood products or has a fully mature system, this panel will offer actionable insights, lessons learned, and expert guidance you can take home and apply the very next shift.

Panelist (3 or more Presenters)

Presenter (1 Presenter)

Wednesday, September 30 3:45–4:45 PM
Room W331 A
Clinical Paramedicine
Faculty

Eric Bank

LP, NRP, FAEMS
Assistant Chief of EMS
Harris County ESD 48 Fire Department

Chief Bank is a fellow of the Academy of Emergency Medical Services, National Association of EMS Physicians. Continuing his distinguished career in Emergency Services, he currently serves as Vice President of the Pre-Hospital Blood Transfusion Initiative Coalition, is a Committee Member of the AABB Pre-Hospital Standards Committee, and Committee Member of the AABB THOR (Trauma Hemostasis and Oxygenation Research) Pre-Hospital Work Group. Mr. Bank is a graduate of EMS Management, Hahnemann University, Philadelphia, PA in 1996. Among his accomplishments, he developed the first ground blood transfusion program in 2016 working with Dr. John Holcomb and the Texas Department of State Health Services, developed several pre-hospital transfusion protocols and was instrumental in the deployment of Low Titer Group O Whole Blood Products for Ground EMS in 2017.

Faculty

Matthew Levy

DO, MSc, FACEP, FAEMS, NRP
Chief Medical Officer / EMS Medical Director
Howard County Fire / Johns Hopkins

Dr. Matthew Levy is an EMS physician, educator, and civic leader with three decades of experience. He holds full-time appointments at Johns Hopkins University in Emergency Medicine and Surgery, serving as Deputy Director of Operational Medicine. Dr. Levy is Medical Director of EMS Education for the American Red Cross and Chief Medical Officer for Howard County Fire and Rescue Services. He also serves as Central Maryland's Regional EMS Medical Director for the Maryland State EMS Agency, MIEMSS. A Fellow of both the American College of Emergency Physicians and the Academy of Emergency Medical Services, and actively participates in local, state, federal, and international organizations focused on prehospital, operational, and disaster medicine.

Faculty

CJ Winckler

MD, LP
EMS Medical Director
UT Health San Antonio

C. J. Winckler serves as the deputy medical director for the San Antonio Fire Department, and medical director for North Channel EMS and Wilson County ESD 3. He is also the Texas Emergency Medical Task Force Regin 8 medical director. Dr. Winckler is an associate professor at the University of Texas San Antonio Health Science Center and Texas A&M College Station School of Medicine. He is the Immeidate past President of TX NAEMSP, Chair of GETAC EMS Medical Director’s Committee, and Vice Chair of GETAC Prehospital Whole Blood Task Force. In San Antonio he has developed telemedicine CPR for dispatch, an ECMO prehospital CPR Alert system, and the world’s first prehospital whole blood program to serve an entire metropolitan system.

Faculty

Holly O'Byrne

MPA, NP
Whole Blood Coordinator - Lieutenant/Paramedic
DC Fire and EMS

Holly O’Byrne is a Lieutenant/Paramedic and the Blood Program Coordinator for DC Fire and EMS. She integrates evidence-based trauma care, advanced training, and multi-system data collaboration across EMS, hospital, and public health partners. Holly’s work focuses on improving early resuscitation, health equity, and system performance through innovative policies and robust quality improvement frameworks. She has authored peer-reviewed publications, contributed to national clinical practice guidelines, and presented at NAEMSP, EMS World, THOR, and multiple regional blood coalition conferences. Her leadership continues to advance prehospital care, trauma readiness, and lifesaving transfusion practices nationwide.

BLS is BS: Lifesaving is a Spectrum of Care

Yes, I understand

The once-clear boundary between advanced life support (ALS) and basic life support (BLS) has become increasingly difficult to define—so much so that many EMS providers are beginning to question whether the line was ever all that useful. Modern practice now expects clinicians at every level to understand complex resuscitation strategies, advanced airway techniques, and medication administration, expanding far beyond the traditional “BLS does this, ALS does that” playbook. Airway management now spans everything from nasal cannulas to endotracheal intubation, and high-acuity procedures such as needle and finger thoracostomy—and, on particularly memorable days, even clamshell thoracotomy—are showing up in the prehospital setting.

Vascular access, electrical therapy, and point-of-care testing similarly blur historic role divisions, creating a landscape where the scope of practice looks less like a ladder and more like a Venn diagram no one agreed on. This evolution raises a critical and somewhat overdue question: who should be performing these life-saving interventions? Defining scope and responsibility with intention is essential—not just for regulatory clarity, but for ensuring safe, effective, and consistently high-quality patient care in the field.

Co-Presenter (2 Presenters)

Presenter (1 Presenter)

Thursday, October 01 8:00–9:00 AM
Room W330 A-C
Faculty

CJ Winckler

MD, LP
EMS Medical Director
UT Health San Antonio

C. J. Winckler serves as the deputy medical director for the San Antonio Fire Department, and medical director for North Channel EMS and Wilson County ESD 3. He is also the Texas Emergency Medical Task Force Regin 8 medical director. Dr. Winckler is an associate professor at the University of Texas San Antonio Health Science Center and Texas A&M College Station School of Medicine. He is the Immeidate past President of TX NAEMSP, Chair of GETAC EMS Medical Director’s Committee, and Vice Chair of GETAC Prehospital Whole Blood Task Force. In San Antonio he has developed telemedicine CPR for dispatch, an ECMO prehospital CPR Alert system, and the world’s first prehospital whole blood program to serve an entire metropolitan system.

Faculty

David Wampler

PhD, LP, FAEMS
Professor/Paramedic
UT San Antonio

Dr. David Wampler, PhD, LP, FAEMS, began his EMS career in 1991, quickly adding firefighter and paramedic credentials and discovering a lifelong passion for emergency services. After a decade with the Kerrville Fire Department—while teaching paramedic students and earning a BS in Biochemistry—he pursued a PhD at Utah State University, driven partly by curiosity and partly by frustration with things like spine boards. He later completed a research fellowship at UTSA. Tenured Professor at UT Health San Antonio, Dr. Wampler serves as Director of Clinical Research for the Office of the EMS Medical Director for the San Antonio Fire Department. An internationally recognized researcher and speaker, he is also a proud father of two standout track-and-field throwers who keep him roaming Texas in support of shot put and discus.

Prehospital Whole Blood for Special Populations

Yes, I understand

This is a high-impact session designed for EMS and prehospital providers who want to save lives without getting lost in the fine print. We’ll tackle the tricky scenarios where one-size-fits-all transfusion protocols just won’t cut it. From pregnant trauma patients and pediatric emergencies to elderly fall victims, women of childbearing potential, and GI bleeds, this class covers the who, when, and how of whole blood in the field.

You’ll learn practical strategies for rapid decision-making, weight-based dosing, Rh considerations, and managing the inevitable curveballs that come with physiologic quirks and comorbidities. We’ll emphasize maternal and pediatric priorities, highlight the dangers of volume overload in frail adults, and provide actionable pearls for balancing life-saving urgency against potential risks like alloimmunization or citrate toxicity.

Expect real-world case discussions, decision-making frameworks, and clear guidance on monitoring and documentation—because paperwork is almost as important as the patient surviving the ride. By the end of the session, you’ll be able to approach prehospital whole blood transfusion with confidence, precision, and just enough snark to keep you entertained while you save lives.

Co-Presenter (2 Presenters)

Presenter (1 Presenter)

Thursday, October 01 1:00–2:00 PM
Room W230 C
Critical Care
Faculty

CJ Winckler

MD, LP
EMS Medical Director
UT Health San Antonio

C. J. Winckler serves as the deputy medical director for the San Antonio Fire Department, and medical director for North Channel EMS and Wilson County ESD 3. He is also the Texas Emergency Medical Task Force Regin 8 medical director. Dr. Winckler is an associate professor at the University of Texas San Antonio Health Science Center and Texas A&M College Station School of Medicine. He is the Immeidate past President of TX NAEMSP, Chair of GETAC EMS Medical Director’s Committee, and Vice Chair of GETAC Prehospital Whole Blood Task Force. In San Antonio he has developed telemedicine CPR for dispatch, an ECMO prehospital CPR Alert system, and the world’s first prehospital whole blood program to serve an entire metropolitan system.

Faculty

David Wampler

PhD, LP, FAEMS
Professor/Paramedic
UT San Antonio

Dr. David Wampler, PhD, LP, FAEMS, began his EMS career in 1991, quickly adding firefighter and paramedic credentials and discovering a lifelong passion for emergency services. After a decade with the Kerrville Fire Department—while teaching paramedic students and earning a BS in Biochemistry—he pursued a PhD at Utah State University, driven partly by curiosity and partly by frustration with things like spine boards. He later completed a research fellowship at UTSA. Tenured Professor at UT Health San Antonio, Dr. Wampler serves as Director of Clinical Research for the Office of the EMS Medical Director for the San Antonio Fire Department. An internationally recognized researcher and speaker, he is also a proud father of two standout track-and-field throwers who keep him roaming Texas in support of shot put and discus.

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