Westfield Fire Chief Mary Regan and Police Chief John Camerota donate blood Wednesday as they participate in the third annual Guns and Hoses ‘Blood Wars’ challenge to benefit the blood bank at Noble Hospital. (Photos courtesy Nobel Hospital)
WESTFIELD – The Guns and Hoses ‘Blood Wars’ challenge is over and, although the police officers retained the title, the winner was Noble Hospital and the local community.
The third annual friendly competition between the city’s emergency responders benefits the hospital’s blood supply and provides bragging rights, which have gone to the police each year, to the winning department.
“The ‘Blood Wars’ turned out terrifically for everyone concerned” said police Capt. Michael McCabe and went on to say “The big winner obviously was Noble Hospital which got 83 units of blood.”
McCabe said that in addition to the police and firefighters, emergency dispatchers also donated blood this year.
He said that the dispatchers contributions were credited on the police side of the ledger saying “they’re ours” since the police department’s civilian dispatchers formed the core of the staff of the Emergency Dispatching Department when it was constituted last year.
Even without including the dispatchers, the police have a slight advantage as the police roster lists 99 employees compared to only 90 personnel in the Fire Department.
Joan Murphy, supervisor of Transfusion Services and microbiology at the hospital, said before Wednesday’s competition that the local blood collection results in a safer and less expensive supply of blood than what could be obtained through the usual sources.
She said that the department uses 100-120 units of blood every month.
The blood drive was supported by the hospital, Westfield Emergency Physicians and area businesses.
Clifford Laraway, owner of the Subway franchise in the city, donated Subway gift cards and a “goodie bag” for each donor and other prizes were awarded by lot to a member of each department.
Officer Ricky Maciorowski won four tickets to a regular season New England Patriots game which had been reserved for a member of the winning team and Pat Breton, the principal clerk at the Fire Department, won the four tickets to a preseason Pats game which were earmarked for a member of the runner up team. The tickets were contributed by emergency department physicians Stanley Strzempko and Brian Sutton.
“While the police department retained their title, a good time was had by all” McCabe said and Fire Chief Mary Regan said “I’m pretty pleased with the outcome”
Regan said that she was pleased with the 83 units of blood collected saying “That’s got to be one of their bigger blood drives.”
She said that ultimately it doesn’t matter which department contributes the most blood.
“It’s really all about the blood” she said.
