Sheriff's office, police department tie in 'battle'

While collections were a little shy of the anticipated goals, organizers of last week's American Red Cross Battle of the Badges blood drive said they were pleased with the outcome of the event.

Eighty units of blood were collected on Thursday, the first day of the two-day drive, while 30 units were donated on Friday. The goals for the drive were 85 units on Thursday and 45 on Friday. The American Red Cross is currently under a national appeal for blood due to fewer donations in recent months and continues to have an emergency need for donors of all blood types.

Blood drive coordinator Ruth Waring said she has been told that donations are "low everywhere" this time of year, adding it could be the recent hot weather that is keeping donors at home.

"People don't want to get out during the heat," she said.

The annual Battle of the Badges blood drive is a friendly competition between local law enforcement, fire and EMS personnel to see which agency can donate the most blood. Many of the local agencies that participate also help organizers promote the event.

"It's a fun thing to try and encourage more people to give blood," Waring said.

Anyone can get involved in the event by donating blood and voting for their favorite public safety department.

Debbie Cox, donor recruitment representative for the American Red Cross Blood Services-Central Plains Region, said she appreciates the support that event organizers received from local fire and law enforcement personnel and "everyone involved in the blood drive," many of whom also donated blood.

"The drive went very well," she said. "We're sorry we didn't quite collect what we had hoped."

Cox said the lower turnout could also be due to the timing of the drive, when many people are on family vacations, at the ballpark, at the lake or family barbecues, or taking part in other summer activities.

"Once people return to their normal routines, donations seem to increase," she said. "Oftentimes, people put a donation on the back burner. The whole summer is hard. That's why we like to do the Battle of the Badges in the summer, because we have a hard time collecting."

According to results of the voting provided by Waring, the Bourbon County Sheriff's Office and Fort Scott Police Department tied with 23 votes each; the Fort Scott Fire Department placed second with 21 votes; the Garland Fire Department, winners of the event the previous two years, came in third with 12 votes.

Also receiving support were Bourbon County Rural Fire District No. 3, with three votes, and Scott Township, which brought in four votes.

Bourbon County Undersheriff Bill Martin said he was unable to donate at this year's drive due to several work responsibilities, but was "very impressed" with support the drive got and the fact that the sheriff's department finished tied for first place this year.

FSPD Lt. Shaun West said the blood drive is a "great project" and seemed to be "consistently busy" over the two days. He and FSPD Lt. Travis Shelton both donated blood on the first day.

"The overall turnout seemed to be good, and it's for a good cause," West said.

West added it is a "vital and critical process to donate," especially now as the Red Cross is in an emergency stage and is trying to maintain blood supplies nationwide.

Cox said the next Red Cross blood drive is scheduled to take place Oct. 10-11 at Fort Scott High School.