Battle of the Badges Blood Drive; Law Enforcement Agencies Prepare For Battle NA12269LG

What:
Kick-Off Reception – 7th Annual Battle of the Badges blood drives

When:
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM

Where:
LAFD Frank Hotchkin Memorial Training Center
1700 Stadium Way, Los Angeles, CA  90012-1404
(Next door to Dodger Stadium)

Who:
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigoza
Los Angeles Councilmember Jan Perry
LAPD Chief Charlie Beck
LAFD Chief Brian Cummings
U.S. Probation Chief Michelle Carey
Clifford Ira Numark, CEO, American Red Cross Blood Services

And more than 20 agency chiefs representing an array of law-enforcement agencies, including LASD, CHP, FBI, and DEA.
Why:
The Battle of the Badges kick-off reception will bring together agency chiefs from local, state, and federal agencies to collectively encourage their badge-carrying officers to become heroes of a different capacity by helping save lives through blood donations. Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs a blood transfusion and Southern California’s community blood supply typically drops to concerning levels following the holiday crunch.  Through the Battle of the Badges, our police officers, sheriff deputies, and firefighters across the Southland will go head-to-head to ensure blood is available for local hospital patients.

This life-saving effort can substantially impact the availability of blood for accident victims, cancer patients, premature babies, burn patients, or our friends and neighbors who may need regular blood transfusions in order to live.  Not enough civilian blood donors make the time to donate in the days and weeks after the New Year. Therefore, our badge-carrying heroes are stepping forward to help fill to constant need for healthy blood donors, hoping to inspire other to do the same.  Beginning December 12, 2012, the Red Cross will hold more than XX Battle of the Badges blood drives at various sites across XX counties – nearly all of the blood drives are open to the public.

CONTACT:
For a full listing of blood drive sponsors and locations, please visit www.redcrossbattleofthebadges.org or call 800-RED-CROSS (800-733-2767).

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org.