Jacqui Brown
Blood donors lined up to do their part Thursday at Glendale Memorial
Hospital, a day after the deadly Metrolink train crash.
Undaunted by the hours of waiting inside the hospital's auditorium
or in a half-block-long line outside, it was apparent the community
wanted to pull together after a crisis.
Hospital staff members supplied the donors with refreshments and
snacks while they waited to give blood.
Local Burger King employees at one point appeared to also help
feed the hungry donors.
Retired police officer Billy McIlvain drove in from La Verne to
give blood in honor of Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy James
Tutino, who was killed in the crash.
"I retired from the department, but I wanted to give something
back," McIlvain said. "There's a lot of patriotic people out there,
and they come together when they have to."
Los Angeles firefighter J.C. Monico worked a 48-hour shift at the
train wreck but he wanted to do a little more.
"That's why I came to donate blood," Monico said. "It was pretty
bad out there."
Two flight attendants, Janine Regoli of Santa Clarita and Judy
Hatten of Sunland, arrived at Bob Hope Airport in Burbank after their
last flight of the day and drove over to the hospital.
"We wanted to do what we can, and this is the least we can do,"
Regoli said. "There are people in this hospital that are dealing with
a lot, so we're here to help."
Dave Keys, who recruits blood donors for the hospital, started
receiving calls yesterday shortly after the crash from people wanting
to know what they could do to help, he said.
"We put together this emergency blood drive here at the hospital,
which started early this afternoon and will last all day," Keys said.
"In addition, we've stationed a blood mobile outside Pat & Oscars
Restaurant in the Costco parking lot, the site of the accident, and
that will be there until 8 p.m. The restaurant is donating a free
lunch or dinner to anyone that donates at that site. The Starbucks
adjacent to that site is donating a cup of coffee to donors, and
Jamba Juice is giving donors a free smoothie."
Keys saw at least 100 people waiting in line, he said, adding the
hospital donated a free lunch or dinner to donors in the hospital
cafeteria.
"Glendale Memorial does not have its own blood donor center, so we
need to do these community blood drives," Keys said. "We're doing
everything we can to try to accommodate this outpouring of
generosity."
Because donated blood only lasts about 42 days, there's always a
need for donors, according to Keys.
"We're an operating emergency room for this community, and we will
have patients coming in today, tomorrow or next week that may need
this blood," Keys said.
Because of the public's overwhelming response, the blood drive
will continue today from 1 to 5:30 p.m. at the hospital, 1420 S.
Central Ave.
