First responders serve our communities 24/7. So, when the American Red Cross alerted the public about a severe blood shortage last month, it was no surprise that dedicated firefighters and police officers stepped up to assist. To support the Red Cross blood supply, local first responders created the Battle of the Badges, a friendly competition to see who, cops or firefighters, can recruit the most blood donors.
Firefighter/Paramedic Brian Thiebold is a 29-year veteran of the Los Angeles Fire Department. He began donating blood when a fellow firefighter was injured and needed a blood transfusion. “In the last probably five years, I donate regularly and have given two or three gallons of blood,” he said. “I donate to give back to humanity. I come in on my days off and it makes me feel good.”
Dave Lareva retired six years ago from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department. He was a SWAT Sergeant, serving a total of 34 years. “Since I was 18 years old, I think I have donated at least 100 times,” he said. After a friend of Lareva’s son was admitted to Children’s Hospital with a diagnosis of cancer, he became a regular donor. He continues to donate even today because “I just want to keep helping people in my community.”
“Donating blood is an easy thing to do,” said Jacob Lovejoy, a veteran Firefighter/Paramedic. “And I heard that donating may reduce certain types of cancer and heart disease,” citing recent studies at UC San Diego, the Francis Crick Institute and the National Cancer Institute. Lovejoy started donating blood as a teen because his mom, a nurse, encouraged him to do so. He continues to donate because he is thankful for his good health and wants to give back.
The current severe emergency blood shortage continues as requests from hospitals exceed the available supply of blood, drawing down the blood supply by about 35% over the past month. Hospitals already strained by the worst flu season in nearly 20 years are now also being forced to triage critical blood products.
Compounding the issue, intense winter weather and freezing temperatures across much of the country have delayed or cancelled blood drives, forcing vital units of blood to go uncollected. Donors in areas unaffected by weather are crucial to ensuring those in need of transfusions have access to lifesaving care across the country.
Without immediate action, patients who rely on transfusions — including trauma victims, mothers in childbirth, and people with sickle cell disease or cancer — face serious risk. The shortage is especially serious for types O, A negative and B negative blood. Donors of all blood types are urged to donate now and throughout the winter.
You can help the Red Cross overcome this shortage:
• Schedule your blood or platelet donation today using the Blood Donor App, by visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
• Encourage friends, family members and your social networks to make an appointment to donate blood or platelets in the coming days and weeks. Share our posts on @RedCrossCCR.
• Consider hosting a Red Cross blood drive. If you know of someone who is willing to sponsor a blood drive, please ask them to submit their information at org/HostADrive.
The Red Cross supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood, and collects blood in the Central California Region in Santa Barbara, Ventura and parts of eastern Kern County. If you are in a community where the Red Cross does not collect blood, we encourage you to support your local blood collecting organization as the need across the country is great. Please contact one of the following organizations to find a local blood collection site and to schedule an appointment:
• AABB: http://www.WhereToDonateBlood.org; +1.301.907.6977
• America’s Blood Centers: http://www.AmericasBlood.org; +1.202.393.5725
• American Red Cross: http://www.RedCrossBlood.org; +1.800.RED CROSS (+1.800.733.2767)
Red Cross Central California Blog 