Photo by Jon Anderson
Sarah Tidwell of the American Red Cross helps Kim Blackmon of Graysville, Alabama, with her blood donation at the Boots vs. Badges blood drive at Hoover City Hall in Hoover, Alabama, on Tuesday, June 23, 2026.
The Hoover Fire Department came out as victors Tuesday in the 2026 Boots vs. Badges blood drive competition with the Hoover Police Department.
The two departments were battling to see who could get the most supporters to the blood drive, and the Fire Department ended up with 70 blood donors there, compared to 51 for the Police Department, American Red Cross officials said.
“It sounds like we kicked their butts,” Hoover fire Chief Clay Bentley said as a good-natured tease, upon learning the Fire Department had won this year.
This was only the second time the Fire Department won the blood drive contest since it started in 2018; the other time was 2024. The Police Department won in 2018, 2019, 2023 and 2025, and there was no blood drive contest in 2020, 2021 or 2022.
Bentley said it’s always a positive thing when the police and fire departments team up to try to help the Red Cross gain blood donors, and he appreciates the support shown by the public.
The goal this year was to beat the 125 units of blood given in 2024, but the numbers came in just shy of that with 123 units of blood, including double-unit donations, this year, Red Cross spokeswoman JoJo Burnett said.
Summertime frequently is a critical time for blood donations because people tend to travel more and are less available to make donations, Red Cross officials say.
To find another American Red Cross blood drive, go to redcrossblood.org.
