Emergency service workers in southern Manitoba are being asked to roll up their sleeves this summer and donate blood.

Canadian Blood Services is promoting its Sirens For Life campaign. The campaign launched in Steinbach Monday and will run from July 1st to August 31st. It says first responders often see the need for blood firsthand. Just one person who is seriously injured in a car crash could need as many as 50 blood donations to survive. The goal for this year's campaign is to collect 150 units of blood in Southern Manitoba and recruit 25 new donors.

Steve Raizen is Territory Manager with Canadian Blood Services. He says they typically need more blood donations in summer because many of their regular donors are unable to donate because of their summer commitments.

"So we're encouraging first responders to come out to donate blood during July and August and for people to come out during that time period to donate on behalf of first responders," says Raizen.

"This is a timely initiative," says Steinbach RCMP Staff Sergeant Harold Laninga. "With the summer months very quickly approaching, there's increased traffic on our roadways and therefore also the increased potential for accidents and collisions, so this is very timely."

As part of Sirens For Life, a friendly challenge has started between Steinbach Fire Department and Steinbach RCMP to see which unit can bring in the most donations.

"It's a competition we're confident we will be winning this year," says Steinbach Fire Chief Kel Toews. "I don't know anyone in the fire service that doesn't have a competitive side and I think we'll get our guys out and donate a lot of blood."

Toews notes their pride is at stake, but more importantly there are lives at stake and he urges all members from the fire service to come out and donate blood. There are two clinics in Steinbach each month, on the first and third Mondays.

Meanwhile, local parent Melissa Friesen admits that before July 4, 2012, she never gave much thought to donating blood. But, it was on that day they learned their 7-year-old son had cancer. The cancer had consumed 99 per cent of his blood and Noah would rely on multiple blood transfusions during his battle.

"There are no words that I can say to express my gratitude for people who donate their blood," she says. "The thank you that I can give doesn't seem enough."

Friesen says her 13-year-old son is alive today because strangers felt it was worth it to give blood.