Wilmington Fire Department wins fourth annual ‘Battle of the Badges’ blood drive

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The Wilmington Fire Department is celebrating after taking the win Thursday in the fourth annual Battle of the Badges blood drive.

The friendly competition pits Wilmington firefighters against the Wilmington Police Department to see which agency can collect the most blood donations.

This year’s event comes as the nation continues to face a blood shortage, making donations especially important.

New Wilmington Assistant Police Chief Brooke Wright represented the police department at the blood drive and said the women and men in blue were ready for the competition.

When the final numbers were tallied, the Wilmington Fire Department came out on top.

A total of 47 pints of blood were collected during the fourth annual Battle of the Badges.

Organizers thanked everyone who stopped by the American Red Cross on Thursday to donate and support the effort.