ONE of the first to donate blood at the launch of the Emergency Services Challenge, Sergeant Michael Smith, said it took him about an hour of his time to save three lives.
The Police Rescue and Bomb Disposal Unit officer hopes every Australian will take time out to save a life.
“Every member of an emergency service knows the importance of blood donations because we see people who need blood every day,” Sergeant Smith said.
“To meet the current demand more than 27,000 donations are needed every week across Australia, and I’m proud to be involved.’’
The NSW Police Force joined their emergency service colleagues to donate blood at the launch of the Emergency Services Challenge in Sydney on July 2.
Officers from the NSW Police Force, Fire and Rescue NSW, NSW State Emergency Service, NSW Rural Fire Service, Marine Rescue NSW and Ambulance Service of NSW take part in the annual national competition to see who can donate the most blood from July 1 to August 31, 2012.
A Red Cross spokeswoman said the blood collected during the challenge would be used to save the lives of people with illness, accident and trauma victims, expectant mothers and newborn babies.
‘‘One in three individuals will need blood or blood products during their lifetime but only one in 30 Australians give blood, with the demand set to double over the next 10 years,’’ she said.