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by BILL FARRELL
The fire department is riding to the rescue of the New York Blood Center, which is faced with a critical shortage of blood and blood donors.
FDNY Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta, top department brass and rank-and-file members of Rescue 1 gathered outside the unit's Park Slope quarters to launch a blood donation program in firehouses across Brooklyn.
"Firefighters have a vested interest in blood donations because burn victims need massive amounts of transfusions," said Scoppetta. "But this is not just about firefighters. Nine out of 10 people are going to need a blood transfusion at some time in their life.
"Without an adequate supply of blood, it's like trying to fight a fire without water or a fire hydrant. You can't do it," he said.
Blood center officials said local supplies have been hurting since October 2001, because of the outbreak of mad cow disease in Europe.
"There has always been a shortfall of 100,000 pints a year, but [before the mad cow outbreak] we were able to meet the demand with the supply from Europe," explained New York Blood Center spokesman Richard Murphy.
In the past three years, blood center officials have stepped up their local donation efforts.
In Brooklyn, the number of donations has risen to 24,000 pints from 15,000 pints a year. But that number is still more than 40,000 pints short of the 66,000 pints the borough uses each year.
"We've made great strides, but there is also great potential," said Dr. Robert Jones, president & CEO of the New York Blood Center. "We not only have to build on the number of donors but we're also looking for a more ethnically diverse donor base. You would be surprised how important it is in making a match," said Jones.
Under the partnership with FDNY, each firehouse will display informational bilingual sandwich boards and provide educational literature and information on where and how to donate.
"Just putting these sandwich boards in front of a firehouse creates awareness, and I have no doubt people will donate once they are aware of the need," said Scoppetta.
The commissioner then pointed to a chart indicating blood supplies dwindling to almost nothing by the end of August. "I'm confident this program will help turn that chart around," he said.
Yesterday's event was part of an expansion of the program, which is already up and running in the Bronx and Manhattan. "We expect to introduce the program into Queens and Staten Island later this year," said Murphy.
In the meantime, anyone wishing to make a donation should call (800) 933-BLOOD.
"It takes 14 weeks to train our hero firefighters," said Scoppetta. "By donating blood, anyone can be a hero in just 10 minutes."
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