Find a Blood Drive
Find a Blood Drive
Local emergency responders are facing off for a lifesaving cause and inviting the community to join in the fun. The 10th annual Battle of the Badges blood drive is Sept. 6-12 at multiple northeast Tennessee locations.
The annual competition, sponsored by WJHL, encourages community members to give blood and vote for their favorite first responder agency. The event coincides with the commemoration of Sept. 11, and donors are encouraged to give blood to remember those who lost their lives on 9/11 and to honor the first responders who served in the aftermath of 9/11, as well as those who serve in local communities.
“This annual blood drive is one way we can honor our first responders for what they do every day in our communities,” said Tom Hensley, American Red Cross account manager. “Giving blood is a way to honor these local heroes, while becoming a hero yourself to a patient in need.”
The Northeast Tennessee Chapter of the American Red Cross works closely with first responder agencies for disaster response. In FY2016, the chapter assisted 336 families after a disaster and trained over 4,300 people in first aid, CPR and AED. Over 280 volunteers aided in these and other efforts.
Blood collected at the Battle of the Badges event will help the Red Cross serve another population: patients in need. Every two seconds in the United States, blood and platelets are needed to respond to patient emergencies, including accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and those receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease. The Red Cross must collect approximately 14,000 blood and platelet donations every day for the patients at about 2,600 hospitals and transfusion centers nationwide.
After the votes are tallied, the winning Battle of the Badges agency will be presented with the Battle of the Badges plaque to display at their department.
Those who come to donate will receive a coupon by email for a free haircut at Sport Clips. Presenting donors will also receive a 9/11 Day donor sticker to show they paid tribute to 9/11 by giving blood.
Donors are encouraged to make an appointment to give by calling 1-800-RED CROSS, visiting redcrossblood.org or downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App.
Battle of the Badges blood drives are scheduled as follows:
Tuesday, Sept. 6
Jonesborough Visitors Center
1 to 5:30 p.m.
117 Boone St., Jonesborough, TN 37659
American Red Cross Johnson City Blood Donation Center
2:30 to 7 p.m.
818 Sunset Drive, Suite #100, Johnson City, TN 37604
Wednesday, Sept. 7
American Red Cross Johnson City Blood Donation Center
8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
818 Sunset Drive, Suite #100, Johnson City, TN 37604
Thursday, Sept. 8
Johnson City Municipal Building
noon to 5:30 p.m.
601 E. Main St., Johnson City, TN 37601
Friday, Sept. 9
First Christian Church
noon to 5 p.m.
307 S. Main Ave., Erwin TN 37650
Monday, Sept. 12
Oak Street Baptist Church
1:30 to 6 p.m.
804 Oak St, Elizabethton, TN 37643
How to donate blood
Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental consent in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.
Blood donors can now save time at their next donation by using RapidPass to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, prior to arriving at the blood drive. To get started and learn more, visit redcrossblood.org/RapidPass and follow the instructions on the site.
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 or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.