VIDEO: Members of the Duluth Police Department, Fire Department and area paramedics are competing against each other. The Battle of the Badges is a first ever blood donation event between DPD, DFD and area paramedics supporting Memorial Blood Centers.
The current supply of O negative blood is critically low, and donations from these donors are especially needed. Type O negative is necessary for trauma situations, allowing for immediate transfusions during emergencies.
Duluth City Councilor at Large, Terese Tomanek, has Type O negative blood. She said donating is incredibly important in her family.
“O-negative are the universal donors and in my family we have three O negatives and one O-positive,” Tomanek said.