Spurred by the upcoming surgery of a sergeant's daughter, members of the LA SWAT team kicked off a blood drive Friday morning at the Children's Hospital.
Sgt. Tim Colomey of the LAPD SWAT team has long known the importance of donating blood. He was struck by a vehicle while chasing a man with a gun in 1997, suffering extensive injuries. Now, his teenage daughter needs blood to get through a surgery for scoliosis.
"From when I was hurt back then, they had all kinds of blood drives for me," Colomey said. "Almost 20 years later after that injury, my family's come together again -- my police family -- and they're supporting my daughter."
About 30 on the team came in Friday, which is about as many as the blood center could handle at one time, Colomey said. His team plans on donating in the future on a regular basis.
"Whenever Children's Hospital sees a need, we'll definitely be there for them," he said.
Blood donation is especially important during summer, when many regular donors are on vacation, according to the LA Children's Hospital. The hospital needs about 800 blood donors per month.
People who want to donate can set up an appointment by calling (323) 361-2441 or emailing blooddonor2@chla.usc.edu. Donors are required to:
- Be at least 17 years old
- Be at least 110 pounds
- Provide a picture ID
- Meet the criteria for recent travelers
