Emergency service workers in Central Alberta are on the front lines when someone needs help, including when they need blood.

For the month of August, they are running a Lifesaving Summer campaign, where they encourage their members to collect over 13 hundred units of blood, and recruit 163 new donors by the 31st.

The general public is also invited to donate this month in support of their local emergency services teams.

Inspector with the Red Deer RCMP Heidi Wild says blood donations are essential, regardless of the time of the year.

“At one point in time, you or someone you know is going to need blood. So it’s a really easy way to give back to the community, and we have to get it from volunteers, we have to get it from donators. We can’t manufacture blood, there is no other place to get it.”

Wild also talks about the friendly competition going on between the different emergency responders known as Sirens for Life.

“Siren for Life initiative that Canadian Blood Services puts on, is basically a campaign for first responders to donate blood to try and increase the stores that Canadian Blood Services has. The police participate, fire services, ambulance, emergency services, everybody participates, and it’s a bit of a competition among all the agencies.” 

The Sirens for Life campaign has been active in communities across Canada for a number of years now. 

To book an appointment to donate, you can go to Blood.ca.