On March 5, 2021 the Stephenville Police Department will host their Spring Public Safety Blood Drive in the Stephenville Cowboy Plaza parking lot from 10 a.m. to 3:40 p.m.
The Assistant Chief of Police for the Stephenville Police Department, Jason Halsey, will also be the Primary Blood Drive Coordinator. Halsey has coordinated all of the previous blood drives for the department.
“Carter BloodCare contacted the department in late 2019. They asked if we would be interested in hosting a blood drive. I was of course interested, for many reasons, to include providing lifesaving blood for North Texas. The first one in [May] of 2020 was a Battle of the Badges between the Stephenville Police and Fire Departments,” Halsey said.
The previous two blood drives have produced almost 100 pints of whole blood and almost 20 pints of Power Red blood or Double red blood cell donations. The Battle of the Badges blood donation competition took place on May 22, 2020 with the Police Department winning by providing 33 units of blood vs. the Fire Department’s 30 units.
Carter BloodCare and the American Red Cross both have very similar blood donation eligibility requirements that include restrictions regarding a donors weight, drug use including prescription and over the counter medications, blood borne illnesses, sexually transmitted infections, hereditary diseases, body modifications and more. To learn more about these requirements and what will be asked of donors at the event on March 5, you can visit the Carter BloodCare website.
“Social distancing and all safety measures are in place and required [this includes] wearing masks. Carter BloodCare did not test for COVID-19 at the last drive and I have not been informed that they will at the March 5, blood drive,” Halsey said.
Despite not testing for COVID-19 at the blood drive, Carter BloodCare will be screening for COVID-19 antibodies in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“In addition, all donated blood is screened for COVID-19 antibodies. The need for blood and blood cells is at critical levels in North Texas. Anyone that can give blood is encouraged to do so. With origins in the 1950s, Carter BloodCare is one of Texas’ largest blood centers, providing 300,000 units of life-saving blood and blood components to patients in North, Central, and East Texas annually. We save lives by making transfusion possible,” The Carter BloodCare website said.
The blood donated at this blood drive will be used to help people all across North Texas who may have been in an accident, need surgery or have health conditions that require blood transfusions.
“Specifically, there are many conditions and circumstances where blood and blood plasma are required to help with recovery or treatment. Without that right treatment, many North Texans would die,” Halsey said.
Another needed substance is plasma. Plasma is the largest part of the blood and it also helps the body by carrying nutrients and proteins.
“The buses that are used have the ability to draw whole blood plasma,” Halsey said.
To learn more about plasma, plasma donation, and the eligibility requirements to donate you can follow the links below. Also, anyone who wants to donate is encouraged to sign up through the Carter
BloodCare website at:
ww3.greatpartners.org/donor /schedules/drive_schedule /119406fbclid=IwAR06f4inoZTJ7yde3h72kabmzLU_ewxKSDGvMnOD2zXCtrfVNRQPAt_vAeI
www.carterbloodcare.org/eligibility/
www.carterbloodcare.org/blood-facts/types-of-donations/
www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=160&ContentID =37#:~:text=Plasma%20is%20the%20largest%20part%20of%20your%20blood.&text=Plasma %20carries%20water%2C%20salts%20and,waste%20products %20into%20the%20plasma.
You can also watch a recap of the May 22, 2020 blood drive from the Stephenville Police department at:
www.facebook.com/111223575559187/videos/239974487444857