CAMARILLO, CA — To help offset the blood supply shortage occurring due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D – Thousand Oaks) collaborated with the American Red Cross, Conejo Valley Recreation and Park District and other local organizations to host six blood drives throughout Ventura County.
As of March 30th, nearly 12,000 Red Cross blood drives were cancelled across the country because of the Coronavirus outbreak. This resulted in some 325,000 fewer blood donations, which included blood drives throughout the tri-county region. Coordinating blood drives throughout the district is providing much needed relief for patients with the most urgency. Blood donations collected from the first three drives in the Conejo Valley directly benefited 612 patients who required blood and blood products.
“We have received an incredible response to our call for donors, with more than 200 appointments filling up within minutes for our first three drives,” said Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin. “Our community is determined to support one another as we face this pandemic together.”
Californians can still go out and donate as it is recognized as an essential activity under Governor Newsom’s ‘Stay at Home’ order. Additional safety measures like spacing beds 6 feet apart have been enacted for the safety of donors and staff, who are also being screened for temperature and upper-respiratory symptoms.
“With the unprecedented number of blood drives being canceled due to Coronavirus, we asked for the public’s help and Assemblymember Irwin stepped up,” said Tony Briggs, CEO of American Red Cross Central California. “Within hours, she and her team sponsored and promoted three blood drives in her district. Thanks to her leadership, the American Red Cross can continue supplying lifesaving blood to patients in need.”
In addition to hosting multiple blood drives, Assemblymember Irwin is working to keep Ventura County residents informed through weekly English and Spanish language Teleconference Town Halls. Listeners are able to submit questions based on different topics pertaining to Coronavirus/COVID-19, its impact on our community, and to learn more about the resources available to them.
The Assemblywoman has also collaborated with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services to have her two office locations, in Camarillo and Oxnard, serve as drop-off sites for donations of new, unused personal protective equipment (PPE) to assist health care providers responding to the novel coronavirus. All donations received will be distributed to local hospitals, first responders and essential medical facilities.
“While we may be in uncertain times, one thing I am certain of is the ability of the community I represent to come together in times of urgent need,” concluded Irwin.
Assemblymember Irwin is sponsoring the blood drive in Oxnard at Pacifica High School from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and two at the Thousand Oaks Teen Center on April 21st and 28th. To make an appointment, visit RedCrossBlood.org.
Assemblymember Irwin’s website: http://asmdc.org/irwin
——
Jacqui Irwin was first elected in 2014 to represent California’s 44th Assembly District, which includes the cities of Camarillo, Moorpark, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Thousand Oaks, and Westlake Village.
As the former Mayor of Thousand Oaks, Irwin understands the importance of working across party lines at the national, state, and local level to help make her community one of the safest places to live and raise a family.
In her first term in the Assembly, Irwin successfully authored numerous pieces of legislation into law and brought vital state funds back to her community. Through her leadership funding was allocated for the creation of the CSU Channel Island School of Engineering and for innovation centers on UC campuses to transform UC research into products. Her legislation created tax-free savings accounts for the disabled, increased the cybersecurity of state agencies, and removed barriers for military service members seeking mental health services.
Irwin continued her focus on ensuring safety for California families with laws that protect children from unsafe products, assist law enforcement investigating online crime, and empower parents to safeguard their child’s identity. Irwin also championed the environment with laws that expanded the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, promoted renewable energy resources, while also leading efforts to utilize the local brine line to bring purified water to local farmers.
Assemblymember Irwin currently chairs the Veterans Affairs Committee, and is a member of the Agriculture Committee, Business & Professions Committee, Higher Education Committee, and the Privacy & Consumer Protection Committee.
Assemblymember Irwin also chairs the Assembly Select Committee on Cybersecurity, and Co-chairs the National Conference of State Legislatures Task Force on Cybersecurity. These roles have allowed her to help lead national and statewide efforts to improve our cybersecurity policies.
Her career in public service began on the Thousand Oaks City Council, where she was first elected in 2004. Irwin served two terms as mayor of Thousand Oaks. On the City Council she was a strong advocate for the preservation of open space and responsible development, while working tirelessly to ensure that families had a safe community.
Prior to her public service, Irwin was an employee of Teledyne Systems. She also worked as an engineer at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab.
She has been honored as Assemblymember of the Year by TechNet, the Woman of the Year for the Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Champion for College Opportunity and Student Success by the Campaign for College Opportunity, and received the California Bear Award for her service to the California National Guard.
Assemblymember Irwin holds a Bachelor of Science in Systems Engineering from UC San Diego. While earning her degree, Irwin was an All-American swimmer and competed in the national championships all four years. A proud mother of three young adults, Jacqui Irwin and her husband Jon have lived in Thousand Oaks for nearly 20 years.
In addition to her work in the Assembly, Irwin has been appointed by the Assembly Speaker to serve on the Governor’s Military Council, the Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, the State Public Works Board, the Inter-Agency Council on Veterans, and the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children.