Putnam County first responders competing in a friendly competition Saturday to see which agency can secure the most blood donations for the local community.
Media Relations Coordinator for Blood Assurance Brooke Katz said the Battle of the Badges blood drive features the Putnam County Fire Department, Putnam County EMS, Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, Cookeville Police Department, Baxter Police, Algood Police, Monterey Police, and LifeForce. Katz said the event serves as a way for the public to show support for law enforcement while helping save local lives.
“The end goal is to have as many donations as possible because we are the primary supplier for Cookeville Regional Medical Center, so, you know, the law enforcement understands the importance of that and that’s one of the reasons why we’re so excited to have everybody taking part in this and as many people as possible to show up because it is all about supporting local patients at the end of the day,” Katz said.
Katz said donors can vote for their preferred agency after completing the registration process. Katz said the Sheriff’s Office won the inaugural competition last year and currently holds the traveling trophy.
“We’ve got a goal of about 30 donations and each one of those donations can save up to three lives,” Katz said. “So it’s really a huge, a huge event that we can, it’s a great way for us to give back to the community, a great way for people who live in the community to also help support their law enforcement officers, but also the patients at the local hospital.”
Katz said Blood Assurance requires approximately 540 donors every day to meet the needs of the hospitals it serves. Katz said the organization is currently facing a serious shortage of blood donations during the summer months.
“There are so many different reasons that somebody might have to have blood or blood products, so that need is there on a constant basis, which is why sometimes it feels like we’re fighting a, an everyday battle trying to get donors through the door, but it really does take everybody to help support these patients,” Katz said.
Katz said the donation process typically takes about one hour of a donor’s time. Katz said blood collected at the drive can be processed, tested, and delivered to a hospital patient within 48 hours.
“When you make that donation, it is going to a person,” Katz said. “There is a person who is having the worst day of their life and you are the reason that they get to continue tomorrow.”
Katz said Putnam County EMS recently became one of only three ground EMS agencies in Tennessee capable of carrying blood products on ambulances. Katz said first responders often see the need for blood firsthand, noting that blood loss is the leading cause of preventable death in trauma patients.
“The biggest takeaway is that this is a community blood drive and it does benefit the community,” Katz said. “We’re the sole supplier for Cookeville Regional Medical Center, so we rely on those donations to help take care of those patients at the hospital every single day, and every single donation has the power to make a huge difference.”
The blood drive will offer $25 e-gift cards to all donors who provide an email address.
