Battle of the Badges returns
CAROLYN BOSTICK | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 months, 3 weeks AGO
Michelle Lee takes a break to pose with Mary Troyer, who made the trip with her husband from Plummer to give platelets and plasma Tuesday at the Coeur d'Alene Vitalant office.
Troyer, 70, said she has a lot of EMTs in her family and she knows how important it is to keep blood reserves at a stable level.
"I get enjoyment out of it and I like being able to help somebody. It’s ok if they never need it, but it’s the joy of sharing," Troyer said.
CAROLYN BOSTICK/Press
Kootenai County Fire and Rescue firefighter Taylor Carr jokes with phlebotomist Rheny Gaudio during the Battle of the Badges.
Carolyn Bostick has worked for the Coeur d’Alene Press since June 2023. She covers Shoshone County and Coeur d'Alene. Carolyn previously worked in Utica, New York at the Observer-Dispatch for almost seven years before briefly working at The Inquirer and Mirror in Nantucket, Massachusetts. Since she moved to the Pacific Northwest from upstate New York in 2021, she's performed with the Spokane Shakespeare Society for three summers. | July 30, 2025 1:06 AM
POST FALLS — The firefighters won Vitalant’s Battle of the Badges blood drive and bragging rights last year.
This year, the rematch has been set for Aug. 7 for first responders and community members to donate blood on behalf of firefighters and police in the community.
Blood supply levels are observed at varying levels of need: stable, urgent, critical and scarcity and the need has grown locally over the summer.
Matt Pope oversees Vitalant blood donations in North Idaho and Montana and said the levels for O negative blood are currently facing a critical need and all other blood types are facing an urgent need.
“In our region, so far in July, only 87% of hospital needs were able to be met for type O negative blood,” Pope said. “When the 100 deadliest days started back in May, we were at 91% of hospital needs and have been on a steady decline.”
When blood collection agencies begin facing critical needs, it puts a strain on medical facilities to be able to cover as many medical procedures as would benefit their patients.
"If a hospital needs it, we have to make tough calls,” Pope said.
From 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. community members and first responders are asked to make blood donations in the Kootenai Fire Axe Room at 5271 E Seltice Way, Post Falls.
The Battle of the Badges is looking for 38 donors this year to boost local blood reserves.
Red blood cells help replenish blood lost in a car accident, platelets help cancer patients who can’t make their own and plasma can help replace fluids and proteins after suffering from a burn.
Kootenai County Fire and Rescue, Post Falls Police Department, Coeur d'Alene Fire Department, Coeur d'Alene Police Department and Rathdrum Police Department have been invited to participate.
Sgt. Scott Harmon of Post Falls Police said he wanted to be involved because of the shared bond between firefighters and police in Post Falls
“They’re our brothers and sisters and we go to a lot of calls together on a regular basis,” Harmon said. “The more we can get to come out and donate, the better.”
With blood supplies being below optimal levels in the event of major emergencies, Harmon called for the community to donate during this time of urgent need.
“Especially with the Canfield Mountain incident, blood drives are very important because you never know when it’s going to be needed. We're here to serve a purpose and take care of our communities and to me, that’s part of taking care when we can provide,” Harmon said.
Sign up for the Battle of the Badges at donors.vitalant.org.
Info: [email protected].
If you can't make it in person to the Battle of the Badges to donate, here are other blood drives in the area:
Museum of North Idaho
Friday, Aug. 8, noon to 3 p.m., 720 E. Young Ave.
Mountain West Bank
Thursday, Aug. 14, 2 to 4:30 p.m., 2123 N. Government Way
Corporate Tools
Thursday, Aug. 14, 9 a.m. to noon, 784 S. Clearwater Loop, Post Falls
Hayden Lake Stake
Tuesday, Aug. 26, 4 to 7:45 p.m., 477 E. Honeysuckle Ave.
Post Falls City Hall
Thursday, Aug. 28, 9:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., 408 N. Spokane St.
North Idaho Pride Alliance
Friday, Aug. 29, 9 a.m., to 12:45 p.m., 1470 W. Hanley Ave.
Kootenai County Fire and Rescue firefighter Taylor Carr jokes with phlebotomist Rheny Gaudio during the Battle of the Badges.ARTICLES BY CAROLYN BOSTICK
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