The Wichita Fire Department came out on top again. It’s the fifth consecutive win for the fire department in the annual “Battle of the Badges.” The annual friendly competition is held annually over the holidays to encourage blood donations to the American Red Cross at a time when donations are typically low. “We didn’t think that we were gonna win this year we thought that the Red Cross would give law the win so that they’d keep coming back and playing with us but we won,” says Wichita Fire Captain Chriss Flemming. “We know as first responders that the need for blood products is never…never goes away. And so we know that there’s a great need for that and so we want to encourage everybody in the community to continue throughout the year to come out and donate the gift of life.” Each December, people are encouraged to donate blood, and as they do so, vote for either the Wichita Fire Department, Police Department, or Sedgwick County EMS. The contest runs through Dec. 31, with participants receiving a free T-shirt. This past year marked the 29th year of the annual drive.
Source: KSN-TV
