New Westminster firefighters and police officers gathered at the Glenbrook fire hall to kick start the Sirens for Life blood drive.
“It’s a friendly competition between first responders – they want to see which team can make the most blood donations,” Canadian Blood Services spokesperson Marcelo Dominguez told the Record.
“They often see the need first-hand because of their day-to-day duties.”
The campaign pits firefighters, police officers and paramedics against one another in a race to see who can get the most to roll up their sleeves. While getting donors to the clinics is the main goal, campaigns like these also help raise awareness about the need for donors on an ongoing basis, Dominguez noted.
At Friday’s event, 86 people donated and 67 units of blood were collected. Sirens for Life runs until Oct. 31. During this time, folks are encouraged to sign up to donate blood.
For details on eligibility, go to blood.ca.