Phoenix officer shot in line of duty helps with first responders holiday blood drive

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) – One by one, police officers and firefighters from across the Valley showed up at the Hall of Flame Fire Museum in Phoenix Tuesday. But they weren’t there to take a tour. They went to give blood.

“I have always liked to help people ever since I was a kid, and this, to me, is just an extension of that,” said Phoenix police officer Lisa Fisher. “It’s something that is easy to do, but helps so many people in such a big way to literally save lives.”

The nation’s largest nonprofit blood service provider, Vitalant, kicked off its holiday blood drive with the help of public servants. Nobody knows the importance of giving blood more than Phoenix Police Officer Morgan Bullis.

Officer Bullis was shot in the line of duty in March. She was responding to a hit-and-run call in South Phoenix when a gunman opened fire on her patrol car in an ambush attack. The injuries were not life-threatening, and Officer Bullis was back on patrol three months later.

“It was very important to me,” said Bullis. “If my brothers and sisters need that blood, blood is available to them because God forbid they do go down, and that makes the difference of them going home that night, that is highly important to me.”

December is traditionally the time of year when blood donations go down, with people busy shopping and traveling, making plans for the holidays. The first responders hope leading by example will get more donors to sign up.

“It’s amazing to see the first responders come through and donate blood and be the 1st to pull up their sleeves and let people know, not only are they out there patrolling our streets and homes, but also making sure they can rely on us and a stable blood supply,” said Sue Thew, a spokesperson with Vitalant.

All donors who come in by Dec 10 will receive a complimentary admission to the Hall of Flame Museum. For location information on where to donate blood near you, click here. 

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