First responders are among the first to donate blood in Edmonton in 2026. Paramedics, firefighters and police donated blood on Wednesday as part of Canadian Blood Services’ “Sirens for Life” campaign. “We see all too often the circumstances that people … might need emergency blood services, and we all know someone in our life … who need blood services for lots of other medical reasons, too,” said chief bylaw officer David Jones. “We just want to help.” Canadian Blood Services often sees a dip in donations at this time of year so, amid a need to add one million new donors over the next five years, the agency wants to start the year strong. “Because of our growing population and our aging population, we are seeing the demand for blood products go up over the next five years by about 10 per cent, and then also the need for plasma is going to be going up by about 50 per cent over the next five years,” explained spokesperson Gayle Voyer. In addition to emergency transfusions, blood products can be used to help cancer patients with anemia and people with sickle cell disease, and make medications like immunoglobulins. “It may not be your family, but it could be somebody else’s family – like a friend or neighbour – and you’d be helping them out in their greatest time of need,” Voyer said. More information about donating and eligibility is available online. WIth files from CTV News Edmonton’s Evan Klippenstein
