Cops win Battle of the Badges

POST FALLS — Police won bragging rights in this year’s Battle of the Badges blood drive at Kootenai County Fire and Rescue. 

Donors like Amy Valdez from the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department turned out to help replenish the area’s blood supply. 

“I’m out here supporting the firefighters, I usually give blood on the regular,” Valdez said.  

Blood supply levels for O-negative blood are facing a critical need and all other blood types are facing an urgent need.    

“Many people don't realize red blood cells only last 42 days. Platelets only last a week," Matt Pope of Vitalant said. "Add in the fact that one patient can use dozens of blood units (depending on severity), and that causes a need to have consistent, repeat donors in our supply.” 

The final tally came in over the weekend that with 31 to 9, police racked up the most support among donors. 

Overall, 25 units of blood were collected during the drive and another four units of blood were donated in the name of the event at the Vitalant collection center in Coeur d’Alene.  

“That many units can help up to 75 folks in the hospital,” Pope said. 

He said that out of over 60% of the population being eligible to donate, only about 3% actually do.  

“Lots of people say, ‘You don't want my blood,’ when in reality, we want all the blood we can get," Pope said. 

Sign up for blood donations at donors.vitalant.org

Upcoming blood drives: 

Mountain West Bank, Thursday, 2 to 4:30 p.m., 2123 N. Government Way  

Corporate Tools, Thursday, 9 a.m. to noon, 784 S. Clearwater Loop, Post Falls  

Hayden Lake Stake, Tuesday, Aug. 26, 4 to 7:45 p.m., 477 E. Honeysuckle Ave. 

Post Falls City Hall, Thursday, Aug. 28, 9:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., 408 N. Spokane St. 

North Idaho Pride Alliance, Friday, Aug. 29, 9 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., 1470 W. Hanley Ave.