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El Dorado County Blood Drive Honors Fallen Deputy Brian Ishmael
PLACERVILLE, Calif. — Six years after Deputy Brian Ishmael was killed in the line of duty, the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office will again turn remembrance into action with its annual blood drive honoring the fallen deputy.
The blood drive is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 21, from 1 to 6 p.m. at the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office, 200 Industrial Drive in Placerville.
Vitalant will conduct the drive. Residents are encouraged to schedule appointments through Vitalant’s donor system using blood drive code SMFE332. Appointments also can be made by calling 877-258-4825 and mentioning the same code. Walk-ins will be accepted as space allows.
Vitalant’s current donor schedule confirms the Oct. 21 event at 200 Industrial Drive in Placerville from 1 to 6 p.m.
Remembering a hometown deputy
Ishmael was born at Marshall Hospital in Placerville and raised in El Dorado County. The Sheriff’s Office describes him as a local man who had a genuine, infectious smile and a reputation for finding the best in people.
He entered law enforcement after attending the Los Rios law enforcement academy. In March 2013, he joined the Placerville Police Department. In October 2015, he joined the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office, where he served for four years before his death.
On Oct. 23, 2019, Ishmael responded to a call involving a suspected theft at a marijuana grow in the Somerset area. He and an off-duty San Joaquin County sheriff’s deputy who was riding along encountered gunfire. Ishmael was fatally wounded; the off-duty deputy was also shot but survived.
The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors subsequently established Oct. 23 as Deputy Brian Ishmael Day and authorized the county’s flags to be flown at half-staff each year in his memory. The county also named its Public Safety Facility shooting range in Ishmael’s honor.
The county’s official memorial says Ishmael “will be missed by his friends, family, and the entire El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office family.”
A donation with a local connection
For El Dorado County residents, the October blood drive carries a particularly local connection. Ishmael was not simply a deputy assigned to the county; he was born here, raised here and served the community in both municipal and county law enforcement.
The annual event also comes just two days before the anniversary of his death, making the timing an especially direct tribute to his service.
For those who are eligible, donating blood provides a tangible way to remember a deputy whose career was dedicated to protecting the community.
Donor eligibility
According to the information provided for the drive, whole-blood donors must:
- Be at least 16 years old. Sixteen-year-old donors must have a signed Vitalant parental consent form.
- Weigh at least 110 pounds.
- Be in generally good health.
- Bring a photo identification.
Other types of blood donations have additional eligibility requirements. Donors with questions about eligibility can obtain more information through Vitalant.
Residents can schedule an appointment through Vitalant using blood drive code SMFE332, or call 877-258-4825. Walk-ins will be accommodated if space permits.
Vitalant describes itself as a nonprofit blood and biotherapies organization supplying hospitals and patients across the United States. Its blood collection programs depend on community donors to maintain the blood supply used by patients requiring transfusions and other medical care.
The invitation to El Dorado County
The annual blood drive offers a simple proposition: remember a local hero and help someone who needs blood.
For the family, colleagues and friends of Brian Ishmael, Oct. 23 remains a day of profound loss. For the broader El Dorado County community, the blood drive offers a way to mark that loss through an act of service.
The appointment is simple. The reason is personal. And the result can be lifesaving.
Blood drive: Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026
Time: 1 to 6 p.m.
Location: El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office, 200 Industrial Drive, Placerville
Blood drive code: SMFE332
Appointments: Vitalant donor portal or 877-258-4825
Walk-ins: Welcome as space allows
Vitalant donor appointment portal
El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office — In Memoriam: Deputy Brian Ishmael
