By Ashley Quadros, Public Information Officer
Deputy Taylor Eick has been serving Nevada County since 2014. He began his career with the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office working as a correctional officer at Wayne Brown Correctional Facility. After two and a half years in the jail, he was promoted to deputy and has worked in a variety of capacities since then, including patrol, court security, civil services and as a field training officer. This July will mark his 10-year anniversary of law enforcement service in Nevada County. While his philosophy has always been to help his community, he has another passion for helping others outside of the Sheriff’s Office that is not widely known.
Since he was just 18 years old, Deputy Eick has been donating blood as frequently as possible. He moved to Nevada County in 2011 and continued his passion of giving blood via Bloodsource (now Vitalant). Since that time, he’s given blood an astounding 63 times, including whole blood and double red apheresis, benefiting Nevada County residents experiencing medical emergencies and/or who require blood transfusions to survive, such as trauma and burn patients, premature infants, heart surgery patients, and people fighting cancer, to name a few.
“My dad always gave blood. He's the most preferred type, O-,” explained Deputy Eick. “O- is preferred because anyone can receive it; it’s a universal donor. So, the local Red Cross would often call the house to get him in. I'm O+, second preferred and I started going to the Omaha Red Cross once I was 18 and continued since, even while I was in the service.”
Deputy Eick served in the United States Marine Corps for five years, prior to joining the Sheriff’s Office, and continued to give blood on base and when possible.
On June 25, the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office and fellow law enforcement and fire agencies are hosting a Battle of the Badges Blood Drive to increase blood donations in Nevada County. The Sheriff’s Office recently learned from Vitalant that blood supply availability in Nevada County is dangerously low, standing at about half of what hospitals need available on hand.
Deputy Eick gives so frequently, he isn’t eligible to participate in the Battle of the Badges Blood Drive as he cannot safely give blood again until July. To give in recognition of Deputy Eick’s contributions to the community, Nevada County residents are invited to join the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office in donating blood on June 25 and may donate in Deputy Eick’s honor.
“I donate because I'm fortunate enough to be relatively healthy and it's a simple act that directly impacts those facing a health crisis,” he concluded.
Give like Deputy Eick. Sign up for the Battle of the Badges Blood Drive at: https://donors.vitalant.org/dwp/portal/dwa/appointment/guest/phl/timeSlotsExtr?token=OcMbTTnwchtZMflnruwY7Uos4KrbeRxGCOJvBJ6YNAo%3D
