CFB Kingston - Scared of needles?

[freakerz]

Was wondering today... what's up with military people not showing up to give blood? They came up short of like 10 people today at the Museum... 40(!) was their quota.
(in all fairness, they usually meet their quota on Fridays - normal blood drive day)

Queen's get 400+ donations in a day, and a 8000+ people base can't get 40? Really confused...

So... why don't people give blood? Isn't fair to say that blood given here eventually end up going overseas and may save soldiers' lives? (actual question)

Lady there said CFB Kingston "committed" to 170 donations a year (part of some "partnership") .. 170 donations again, for a 8000+ base... doesn't it seem low and easily achievable?

 

[PuckChaser]

Advertising seemed pretty low, I only knew there was a blood drive because to get to work I pass the Museum.

 

[Rheostatic]

Afghanistan being a malaria risk zone might have something to do with it. Those who deploy cannot donate for 1-3 years after departing a malaria risk zone.
http://www.bloodservices.ca/CentreApps/Internet/UW_V502_MainEngine.nsf/page/E_malaria-deferrals?OpenDocument

 

[dapaterson]

There's a fairly long list of disqualifications - if you spent too much time in the UK, no go.  If you've received a vaccine recently, no go.  If you've travelled t oany one of a number of countries with high risk for some pathogens recently, no go.

 

[yoman]

From what I can tell RMC gets a descent turnout every time I see them at the college.

 

[Gunner98]

So... why don't people give blood? Isn't fair to say that blood given here eventually end up going overseas and may save soldiers' lives? (actual question)

Simple answer - very unlikely.  Blood banking and the specific products used is a very complex issue that is unlikely to be discussed on these means.  Different countries have different restrictions on the screening of blood products.  The Role 3 hospital in KAF is under US command.  Some interesting reading here on US military using walking blood banks that will give you some clues:

http://www.faqs.org/periodicals/201003/1992518601.html

 

[PMedMoe]

I have to agree with the lack of advertising.  I didn't know about it until I ran into a friend from Base who had donated.  I would have, but I recently donated and am not allowed to donate until 11 Apr.

 

[211RadOp]

Didn't know about it until I read this post.  Having said that, since I had a bad experience at a Blood Doner Clinic in Halifax, I have not donated.  I was however part of the walking blood bank in KAF last time I was there.

 

[Journeyman]

Having said that, since I had a bad experience at a Blood Doner Clinic in Halifax, I have not donated. 

I used to donate blood every four months, then I too had a bad doner experience, in Kingston; Canadian Blood Services will never see me again.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Bottom line is...........it's VOL...UNT...ARY.

Failure to draw donors can't be placed 100% on the same, and chiding them seldom works.

 

[Halifax Tar]

Queen's get 400+ donations in a day, and a 8000+ people base can't get 40? Really confused...

I was born and raised in Kingston, first posting was Kingston and I'm posted back this summer...I find it very hard to believe there are 8000+ people employed on the base...

 

[Strike]

I was born and raised in Kingston, first posting was Kingston and I'm posted back this summer...I find it very hard to believe there are 8000+ people employed on the base...

It's the largest employer in Kingston and the second largest military base (by personnel) in Canada.  Remember, this includes RMC.

 

[Journeyman]

...I find it very hard to believe there are 8000+ people employed on the base...

Try crossing the causeway at morning/evening 'rush hour.' The never-ending debate about building a third crossing isn't because of the crowd-drawing ability of the C&E Museum.

 

[dapaterson]

I had a bad experience at a Blood Doner Clinic in Halifax, I have not donated.

I had a bad donair experience in Halifax once...


I am concerned that they're changing their processes, and reducing the number of nurses on site.  Oddly enough, CBS is having trouble filling part-time nursing positions - so rather than re-jigging their employment strucutre and operations to provide full-time employment, they're replacing nurses with less skilled technicians of various sorts (with a single nurse at a donor clinic).  I guess they need to save money somehwere, I mean, this guy doesn't come cheap - $651K in 2009 (http://www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/publications/salarydisclosure/2010/otherp10.html).  (Indeed, for such a small organization, they seem to have a lot of vice presidents and medical directors in the $280K+ range)

 

[dapaterson]

It's the largest employer in Kingston and the second largest military base (by personnel) in Canada.  Remember, this includes RMC.

Er, no.

Bases with larger Reg F strengths include CFSU(O), Halifax, Valcartier, Petawawa, Edmonton, Gagetown and Esquimalt.

Bigger than Trenton - yes.  Bigger than Shilo, OK.  Bigger than Bagotville, Borden, and Cold Lake, Check.


But not #2.

 

[Strike]

Er, no.

Bases with larger Reg F strengths include CFSU(O), Halifax, Valcartier, Petawawa, Edmonton, Gagetown and Esquimalt.

Bigger than Trenton - yes.  Bigger than Shilo, OK.  Bigger than Bagotville, Borden, and Cold Lake, Check.


But not #2.

Employer.  I did not specify Reg, Res or civilian.

 

[dapaterson]

Employer.  I did not specify Reg, Res or civilian.

Still incorrect.  The total Reg+Res (full and part-time)+public service populations, or Reg+public service populations, of Ottawa, Halifax, Petawawa, Valcartier, Esquimalt and Gagetown are all larger than the same populations of CFB Kingston.

While these figures ignore students not posted to the bases (so RMC is counted as Kingston pers, but CFSCE students are not), that should not be material to such discussions.

(I'm using the DWAN reports, as of 28 Feb 2011, from http://dhrim04.desc.mil.ca/engraph/statistical_e.asp?cat=1#civ, for making these comparisons, looking at the attribution of pers by support base)

 

[freakerz]

Afghanistan being a malaria risk zone might have something to do with it. Those who deploy cannot donate for 1-3 years after departing a malaria risk zone.
http://www.bloodservices.ca/CentreApps/Internet/UW_V502_MainEngine.nsf/page/E_malaria-deferrals?OpenDocument

There's a fairly long list of disqualifications - if you spent too much time in the UK, no go.  If you've received a vaccine recently, no go.  If you've travelled t oany one of a number of countries with high risk for some pathogens recently, no go.

Wow, surprised the nurses didn't know about that.. I'll mention it next time!
Edit: I'm still surprised PATs didn't go, I did see a few of them, but out of the hundreds there are.. anyways.. I was just shocked they couldn't get 40 people out of all of us.

The RMC does give more too, RMC & Queen's were their top donators.

The advertising does suck, I only know about it because they put a sign at the Timmies.

Thanks guys for the answers. The 8000+ people is just something Captain & MWO down there said.. and a number staffs keep pointing out.

 

[Strike]

Hijack:
DP -- the comment is based on what a former CLS told us once during one of his visits while he was CLS.
End Hijack

As for the clinics, during my 2 years in K-town the only reason I knew there was a blood drive going on was because my coworker donated religiously.  Never saw any advertising.

 

[dapaterson]

Hijack - Well, Kingston does have the second highest number of General Officers of any base, between CDA HQ, RMC, LFDTS and 1 Can Div...