PUBLIC GIVES BLOOD TO AID HURT DEPUTY.

Byline: Gloria Gonzales Daily News Staff Writer

More than 70 donors turned out to give blood Tuesday in the name of Deputy Jeff Moore, an East County patrol officer critically injured during an off-duty motorcycle accident Oct. 20.

Moore, whose condition is now stable, remains at UCLA Medical Center recuperating and awaiting surgery. His plight drew out dozens of residents wanting to help the 27-year-old deputy.

``I'm a second-grade teacher in the Hueneme school district and I talk to my students a lot about the contributions of law enforcement officers,'' said Conrad Saturnino, a Camarillo resident who had read newspaper accounts of Moore's crash. ``So I wanted to come out today. I give blood fairly regularly, and usually it's a story like this one that moves me to donate.''

Moore, who has patrolled Moorpark and Thousand Oaks for the past three years, was performing motorcycle jumps at a recreational track in Piru on his day off about three weeks ago. Another deputy, and the wives of the two men, also spent the morning riding and performing jumps.

During one ill-fated jump, Moore lost control of the motorcycle, falling off in midair. After striking the ground, Moore's fall continued down a ravine, said Sgt. Ron Tusi, a friend of Moore's who coordinated the blood drive.

``He was injured critically, he suffered numerous facial fractures, bruises to the brain, a punctured left lung, a separated and broken left shoulder, a fractured pelvis and a broken ankle,'' Tusi said. ``During the first few days of his stay, he also suffered internal bleeding . . . and he used 36 pints of blood.''

Hearing the news of their co-worker's plight, deputies at the East Valley sheriff's station organized a blood drive and collected 55 units of blood, Tusi said. Tuesday's drive, the second one, should help bank blood for use in a second surgery Moore will need. During the first hour of Tuesday's drive, about 20 well wishers stopped by the East Valley station to give blood. Donors can fill out a card that the Red Cross will send to Moore, telling him that they gave blood.

``I work in the sheriff's personnel office in Ventura, so I've met him several times,'' said Dianna Decker, who lined up to donate Tuesday. ``I wanted to do something that would help him and his family.''

Unlike Decker, most of the people giving Tuesday had never met Moore, but were moved to donate after learning of the incident.

``People really respond when they can attach a specific name, and a specific face to the need for blood. Because we're having so many walk-ins today - in addition to the 50 or so people who made appointments - we'll probably even schedule a third day,'' said Lauren Mourmouris, the Red Cross field representative overseeing the drive.

And though donors giving Tuesday did so with Moore in mind, blood given goes into a central reserve, and is used as needed for all patients, Mourmouris said.

Tuesday's drive was not the final opportunity to give blood in Moore's name. Anyone can give blood daily at any Red Cross location in the county. For more information about giving blood, call the Red Cross at [phone].

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Photo: Juan Landaverde takes blood at the East Valley sheriff's stat ion in Thousand Oaks on Tuesday.

Phil McCarten/Daily News