Battle of the Badges blood drive raises awareness of needed donations ahead of 100 Deadliest Days
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IDAHO FALLS — In the spirit of competition and to raise donations of vital resources, a local blood drive united the community during its Battle of the Badges drive.
Started on April 1, Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, Air Idaho Rescue and Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center partnered to help drive up blood donations.
The winner of this drive was team A+, which included members of Air Idaho’s rotor team, EMS and local firefighters. Team O+ included local law enforcement and Air Idaho’s fixed wing.
“The Red Cross said that they’re going into this current trauma season needing approximately 65,000 units of blood to support our region,” Eric Day, EIRMC’s EMS director, said. “That means they really do need a lot of community engagement to reach those numbers.”
According to a news release from Air Methods, which Air Idaho Rescue is part of, one unit of blood can help to save up to three lives.
Day said that blood isn’t sold or manufactured, meaning hospitals and other emergency services rely on in-person donations.
For this drive, Day said the goal was to collect 20 units of blood, and in the 29 days of the competition, they collected 30 units.
Brandon Rich, captain at the Idaho Falls Fire Department, told EastIdahoNews.com that whenever there is a competition among EMS, fire and law enforcement, it always focuses on helping the community.
Understanding that donating blood is never easy, he appreciates the community’s willingness to make that sacrifice to help one another.
“That’s really what our community is about. That’s why we call ourselves a community,” Rich said.
The push for a blood drive like this ahead of the trauma season, during the 100 Deadliest Days stretch between Memorial Day and Labor Day, Rich said, ensures they have the resources necessary to help community members during that time.
“It’s a big deal to have people come out and make sacrifices to take care of each other,” Rich said.
Day said although the competition has ended, that does not mean that the need for blood is over. He hopes that this can help spread awareness of the need for blood and hopes that residents will make the trip out to donate.
To learn more about where to donate, click here.