Local Fire Departments Host Bucket Brigade Blood Drive Challenge

Vitalant, in coordination with 21 fire departments across Sonoma, Lake and Mendocino counties, is proud to announce the 15th Annual Bucket Brigade Blood Drive Challenge. The Challenge is a friendly competition among participating fire departments to see which department can host the largest blood drive between December and January by enlisting firefighters, friends, family and members of the community to donate lifesaving blood.

Surges in COVID-19 cases, wildfires, hurricanes and other natural disasters combined with the cancellation of blood drives at schools, businesses and community organizations have brought the blood supply to a critical level on a national level. Donating blood is one of many ways community members can support one another. Per Governor Gavin Newsom, “Blood donation is critically important to ensure our hospitals have the supplies they need to give life-saving care to patients….Our state is at its best when we look out for one another. I encourage every eligible Californian to support their community by becoming a donor.”

Since 2006, fire departments participating in the Bucket Brigade Challenge have recruited more than 11,000 participants. Last year, Sonoma County Fire District won the coveted Bucket Trophy with 100 participants. Participating firefighters recognize the significance of their blood drives. Erich Engle of Sonoma County Fire District is a frequent blood donor and encourages community members to “make time this winter to support their local firefighters and donate blood.”

The Bucket Brigade idea comes from the Great London Fire of 1666 that found community members in “brigades” as they passed buckets of water from the city’s water supply to the blaze that endangered their town and community. Vitalant Senior Director of Donor Recruitment, Andrea Casson, brought these participating fire departments together 15 years ago with the idea of “creating a modern Bucket Brigade that gathers our community in an effort to save lives through blood donations.”

Multiple fire departments are hosting blood drives. As a special thank you, blood donors will receive an annual event T-shirt.

To find a drive near you, please see the complete list below. To make an appointment, visit www.vitalant.org or call 877-258-4825. For your donation, please arrive well-hydrated, wellnourished, with a face mask and photo identification. For eligibility information and to learn more about how we are adjusting to the pandemic, visit www.vitalant.org.

15th Annual Bucket Brigade Blood Drive List

Ukiah Valley Fire Authority
Tuesday, December 1, 2020 1:30pm – 5:45pm
Community Center: 200 School Street, Ukiah

South Lake County Fire Protection District
Saturday, December 5, 2020 10:00am – 3:00pm
Fire Station: 21095 State Hwy 175, Middletown

Sebastopol Fire Department
Tuesday, December 15, 2020 1:00pm – 6:00pm
Fire Station: 7425 Bodega Bay Ave, Sebastopol

Lakeport Fire Station
Saturday, December 19, 2020 9:30am - 2:00pm
Community Center: 500 N Main S., Lakeport

Graton Fire Protection District
Tuesday, December 22, 2020 1:30pm – 6:00pm
Truck Bay: 3750 Highway 116 North, Graton

Fort Bragg and Mendocino Volunteer Fire Department
Monday, December 28, 2020 1:00pm – 5:30pm
Tuesday, December 29, 2020 10:00am – 2:30pm
Town Hall: 363 N. Main Street, Fort Bragg

Forestville Fire Department
Wednesday, December 30, 2020 2:00pm – 6:30pm
Fire Station: 6554 Mirabel Rd, Forestville

Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety
Sunday, January 3, 2021 9:30am – 2:30pm
SOMO Event Center: 1100 Valley House Drive, Rohnert Park

Santa Rosa Fire Department
Wednesday, January 6, 2021 9:00am – 1:30pm
UFO Conference Room: 35 Stony Point Rd, Santa Rosa

Healdsburg Fire Department
Saturday, January 9, 2021 9:30am - 2:30pm
Fire Station: 601 Healdsburg Ave, Healdsburg

Hopland Volunteer Fire Department
Wednesday, January 13, 2021 1:30pm – 6:00pm
Fire Station: 21 Feliz Creek Road, Hopland

Sonoma County Fire District Rincon Valley Station
Thursday, January 14, 2021 1:30pm – 6:30pm
Fire Station: 91 Middle Rincon Rd, Santa Rosa

Cloverdale Fire Protection District
Friday, January 15, 2021 1:15pm – 6:00pm
Fire Station: 451 S. Cloverdale Blvd, Cloverdale

Sonoma Valley Fire District
Wednesday, January 20, 2021 10:00am – 3:00pm
Vintage House: 264 1st Street East, Sonoma

Northern Sonoma County Fire Protection District
Friday, January 22, 2021 1:30pm – 6:30pm
Fire Station: 20975 Geyserville Ave, Geyserville

Wilmar and San Antonio and Volunteer Fire Departments
Monday, January 25, 2021 1:00pm – 6:00pm
Wilmar Fire Station: 3825 Bodega Ave, Petaluma

Petaluma Fire Department and Rancho Adobe Fire District
Tuesday, January 26, 2021 1:00pm – 6:00 pm
Wednesday, January 27, 2021 10:00am – 3:00pm
Petaluma Elks Lodge, 2105 S. McDowell Blvd, Petaluma

Sonoma County Fire District
Saturday, January 30, 2021 9:30am - 2:30pm
Windsor Station Huerta Gym: 9291 Old Redwood Hwy #200, Windsor

About Vitalant

Vitalant is the nation’s second largest community blood service provider, supplying comprehensive transfusion medicine services for nearly 1,000 hospitals and health care partners for patients in need across 40 states. Vitalant inspires local communities to serve the needs of others and transform lives through the selfless act of donating blood. Every day, almost 5,000 blood donations are needed to meet the needs of people throughout the country, and Vitalant’s 780,000 donors supply 1.8 million donations a year. In addition to blood products, Vitalant offers customers transfusion services, medical consulting, quality guidance, ongoing education, research and more. For more information and to schedule a donation, visit vitalant.org or call 877-258-4825 (877-25VITAL). Join the conversation about impacting the lives of others on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.