When 22 people were rushed to Shands at UF after a horrific series of car crashes on Interstate 75 on Jan. 29, the hospital was in desperate need of blood.
Thanks to the UF students who donated blood on campus during the previous week, LifeSouth Community Blood Center was able to fill that need.
"It's a prime example of University of Florida students stepping up to the plate," said Clay Gibbons, LifeSouth community development coordinator. "The recent donations were one of the only reasons we were able to fill such a massive order in such short time."
LifeSouth, Gators Bleed Orange and Blue and the national organ and tissue donation initiative Get Carded will take their life-saving efforts to the next level at GatorSavers, a one-day event that teaches basic lifesaving techniques.
From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Feb. 11 in the Reitz Union Rion Ballroom, anyone can take CPR certification classes, give blood and sign up with bone marrow, organ and tissue registries.
Three two-hour CPR certification sessions, including instruction for using an automated external defibrillator, will begin at 9:30 a.m., noon and 2:30 p.m.
The certification course costs $5. Each session has a maximum enrollment of 150 people.
"It's always good to be prepared in case of an emergency," said Gators Bleed Orange and Blue President Jessie Cohen, 20. "It's important for people to realize how necessary these skills are in order to alleviate a potentially dangerous situation."
Cohen said GBOAB's goals for the event are to certify 450 people in CPR with AED, collect 150 units of blood and have 150 people join lifesaving registries.
LifeSouth will register people with the National Bone Marrow Registry, while Get Carded will recruit people to join the National Organ and Tissue Registry.
For more information or to volunteer at GatorSavers, visit www.gatorsavers.org.
