MOREHEAD CITY N.C. (WITN) – A Red Cross blood drive in Morehead City Thursday added some friendly competition between police and firefighters as donors could then vote on who they support.

Last Thursday morning, dozens of donors flocked to the Morehead City Parks and Recreation Center to show their support for those who support them in their community.

First responders and police also came to the event to donate blood for the community and for some colleagues.

Kristin Davis, a Morehead City firefighter-paramedic says seeing the amount of people donating at the event means a lot, especially for someone in their department.

“Personally it means a lot because one of our guys is going through a cancer diagnosis currently. So he already had a blood transfusion so this is, it hits a little close to home and seeing everyone coming out today is huge.”

The American Red Cross typically sees a decline in blood donation in the months leading up to summer due to summer break for schools, holidays, and the increase in travel says Kristin Willis an American Red Cross donor recruiter.

The Battle of the Badges winner is The Morehead City Fire Department. WITN is told they won by four votes. In total,109 units of blood were donated during the blood drive, which impacts 327 lives, according to officials.