Race to win 2024 'Battle of the Badges' in Topeka ends with narrow victory
TOPEKA (KSNT) - Local first responders rolled up their sleeves Monday for a good cause - and a little friendly competition!
The 7th annual blood drive competition, Battle of the Badges, had the Topeka Police Department (TPD) and the Topeka Fire Department (TFD) racing to see which agency could get the most donations. Each blood donor got to vote on who they thought should win the competition.
The winner - by just one vote- was the TFD. While the competition is all fun and games, the annual event carries one important message.
"It's absolutely critical that people donate blood," said Alan Stahl, fire marshal for the City of Topeka. "So that we can keep those blood supply levels up in our hospitals and right now we are in a shortage situation."
All of the blood donated Monday will go to patients in the Topeka area thanks to the American Red Cross.
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