Mark your calendars for Jan. 25, when the North Massapequa Fire Department will host a blood drive at Fire Department Headquarters (Broadway and Albany Ave.) from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. The fire department will provide refreshments for everyone who attends the blood drive.

The rush to donate blood that immediately followed the Sept. 11 tragedy left many with the mistaken impression that the blood banks are full. In actuality, supplies at local blood banks need desperately to be replenished.

"Hospitals use hundreds of pints of blood each day to meet the needs of patients in Long Island hospitals," said Kenneth Blinder, chief of the North Massapequa Fire Department. "Blood banks must try to be prepared. That is why people should always donate whenever they can, especially during the winter months when supplies can drop drastically. It is quick, easy and there is always the reward of knowing that you may help to save someone's life."

To qualify as a blood donor, a person must be between the ages of 17 and 75 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds, and not have donated blood within the last 65 days. People over the age of 75 may donate blood providing they meet all other criteria and present a physician's letter. Since there are some medical conditions that might temporarily or permanently defer blood donation, just prior to donating, a technician will go over the potential donor's medical history, take his or her blood pressure, temperature and pulse, and run a small sample of blood through a simple test to make sure that the person is in condition to donate.

Donating blood takes just a few minutes and is an entirely safe procedure. All materials used during the process are sterile, disposable and used only once. There is no danger of contracting any disease, including AIDS. The pint of blood that is donated will not be missed by a person's body, which will manufacture an equivalent amount in 24 hours, but it could mean the difference between life or death to one or more recipients. When broken down into component parts, one single pint of blood can be used to heal and help the bodies of five different people.

"Remember, there are many people out there hoping that you are the type to give blood," Chief Blinder said. "More importantly, you may also be the "right type" for a patient waiting for the gift of life."

For more information call 249-2340.