By Mary O’KEEFE

CV Station is looking for blood donors to make a different in this year’s Battle of the Badges.

For 12 years, California law enforcement has partnered with the American Red Cross in the Battle of the Badges, pitting law enforcement agencies against each other in a friendly competition to see who can bring in the most blood donations.
The blood drive is taking place today, Thursday, Feb. 15 at the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the station’s visitors’ parking lot.
“We facilitate the Red Cross. The [workers] come in with their mobile blood bank,” said Deputy Alex Covian from the CV Sheriff’s Station.
The station typically sees about 25 people who stop by to donate blood, but that number varies from year to year. Covian is hoping this year there will be more donors.
“CV and Altadena stations are combining [their efforts],” he added.
Especially with the recent disasters, in addition to the normal demand, the blood banks need replenishing. Covian said there is a serious shortage and, in fact, even some hospitals are running short on blood.
“We have a winter shortage due to the flu,” said Christine Welch, American Red Cross spokeswoman.
Because of the widespread flu, the American Red Cross has seen a lower turnout for blood drives that have been held and, in addition so far this year, severe winter weather has forced about 600 blood drives to be canceled resulting in 17,500 uncollected blood and platelet donations.
“Blood and platelet donations are needed in the coming days to help replenish the blood supply and ensure patients continue to receive lifesaving treatments,” according to the Red Cross.
American Red Cross responds nationally and internationally to disasters. The blood collected at the local stations, however, stays locally. California has faced recent disasters, including fires and floods, where victims are in need. In addition, some of the motorcycle accident victims on the Crest are also in need of blood.
Donating blood is easy. When a person arrives, they are asked to fill out a brief medical history and a mini physical is conducted. Once the prescreening is completed and the person is cleared to donate, the Red Cross medical staff will take about one pint of blood along with several test tubes. The tubes of blood are sent to a blood testing lab where about a dozen tests are performed on each of the units of donated blood. This is to establish blood type and to test for infectious diseases. If a test result is positive, the unit is discarded and the donor is notified. All test results are confidential.

Once the results are received and the units are suitable for transfusion, the red cells are stored in refrigerators for up to 42 days, platelets are stored at room temperature in agitators for up to five days and plasma and cryoprecipitate are frozen and stored in freezers for up to a year.
“We are asking for all types of blood, but we always need O negative, the universal blood type,” Welch added.
The CV Sheriff’s Station is located at 4554 Briggs Ave. Walk-ins are welcome.