At the start of Saturdays Boots and Badges blood donation drive, police were just a few pints ahead of the firefighters.
But Kansas City Fire Department Battalion Chief Germane Friends was determined that wouldnt last.
So Friends, like hundreds of his colleagues from around the metropolitan area, donated blood to ensure they won bragging rights from the annual event.
Police and firefighters know first hand the importance of donating blood, Friends said.
Sponsored by the Community Blood Center at 4040 Main St., the event is designed to raise awareness about the need for blood donations. For the 11th year, police officers and firefighters competed to see which group could donate the most. They spent Saturday encouraging the public to donate as well.
The competition began Monday and concluded Saturday. The firefighters won with 372 donated pints; police donated 363 pints, according to preliminary results.
Last year, organizers collected about 600 pints, well behind Saturdays preliminary total of 735 pints.
David Graham, director of donor recruitment, said summer is a difficult time for blood centers. Families travel and get involved in other activities but dont often make donating blood a priority, he said.
Graham said the center supplies blood to 75 regional hospitals. The demand for blood during the summer is especially high, he said.
For the past decade, firefighters have edged out the police in the contest.
Officer Tom Gentry of the Independence Police Department said while the competition is friendly, the demand for donations is serious.
Blood is life-giving and it is important we all participate in donating, Gentry said.
