A blood feud is brewing between the Winkler Police Service and the Winkler Fire Department.

The local emergency services are competing to see which organization's members can collectively donate more blood between July 1 and August 31.

Steve Raizen with Canadian Blood Services explains the support from police and firefighters is greatly appreciated. "They see day to day, the need for blood... through accidents or through just emergency calls. They see it all the time, much more than everyday folks."

Raizen adds the friendly competition aims to encourage the community to consider donating blood as well.

Winkler firefighter Ernie Froese has personally donated 127 times, going back to his teens. "It's needed, it's life-giving," Froese says. "We see that right on the scene."

Donors like Froese are invaluable, Raizen says. "When we lose one of those lifetime donors it could take two or three other donors just to replace them, so our goal is to encourage more new donors to come out."

Raizen adds they need 200 new donors a year in Winkler to maintain supply. And while Pembina Valley is historically a strong support area for blood services the summer months can be a challenge with so many people on holidays.

Thankfully, becoming a new donor is easier than ever thanks to online booking he explains.

"It's really not that scary, it does pinch for just a second, but it really doesn't hurt."

Approximately 70 percent of Canadians are eligible to donate blood, but only one in 60, or approximately four percent of Canadians regularly give blood.

"I think the most important thing is that donating blood is really the most direct way to help another person," Raizen says. "So you never know when you are a family member may need blood."

You can book your next blood donation appointment online at blood.ca