Des Plaines Fire Dept. hosts blood drive with operation North Pole

Des Plaines Firefighters partnered with Operation North Pole and Lifesource Blood Services to host a Community Blood Drive on Saturday, October 20, 2012 at the Machinists' Union Hall, 50 W. Oakton Street in Des Plaines. Operation North Pole, under the direction of Barb Dabler, President of Operation North Pole ORD, Inc., is a local charitable organization that annually, around the holiday season, provides a day of fun for critically ill children and their families.

Lifesource has partnered with many regional fire departments in a friendly competition to host blood drives as part of the Firefighter Blood Donor Challenge. According to Dabler, of the last eight Firefighter Challenge blood drives in the region, the Des Plaines Fire Department was the only department to collect over 30 units of blood, having the potential of saving up to 129 lives. This occurred at the Des Plaines Firefighters' blood drive this past spring, when 38 units were collected. By the end of the day this past Saturday, the units collected stood at 42.

“There is a continual need for blood donations in the Chicagoland area. Firefighters daily see the effects of illness and injury, and recognize the life-saving value a few minutes of time to donate can bring,” Dabler said.

Dabler and the firefighters sincerely thank the community for participating, and indicated that the next blood drive is being scheduled for the spring.

Des Plaines Firefighters actively participate in, and promote, Operation North Pole programs. Each holiday season, firefighters assist families of critically ill children as they take a Polar Express train ride to visit Santa and Mrs. Claus at the “North Pole.” Operation North Pole information is available at www.operationnorthpole.org or call Barb Dabler at 847-987-8776.