The Norwegian blood preparedness project: A whole blood program including civilian walking blood banks for early treatment of patients with life-threatening bleeding in municipal health care services, ambulance services, and rural hospitals.

We conclude that implementation of a Whole Blood based emergency transfusion program is feasible on all health care levels and that a preplanned civilian walking blood bank should be considered in locations were prolonged transport-times may reduce access to blood transfusion for patients with life threatening bleeding.