Blood supplies are critically low across the country right now.
The American Red Cross and Community Blood Center put out calls for donors of all types of blood.
Right now, the Community Blood Center only has a two-day supply of red cells. They usually like to have a five-day supply on hand.
Summer is typically a difficult time of year to get people to donate, but CBC President and CEO John Hagins says this year is worse than what they’ve seen in previous summers.
“We're trailing behind where we were last year by about another 15%,” said Hagins. “While it's even difficult in the summer, we're still not doing as well as we did last year, and that's causing a real problem and a real crisis for us.”
The Community Blood Center isn’t alone in the struggle to get donors.
The American Red Cross declared an emergency blood shortage earlier this month, calling it the second blood crisis in Red Cross history.
Hagins says only about 3% of the population donates blood.
“This is something that someone can do and have an impact right in their community,” said Hagins. “The blood that's donated to the Community Blood Center stays in the community and meets the needs of our friends, our neighbors, those in our communities, people you may never know, but people you may run into on the street each and every day.”
The CBC supplies blood to more than 40 hospitals including Aspirus hospitals in northern Wisconsin and the U.P. and the VA Hospital.
You can schedule a donation by visiting communityblood.org, using the CBC Donor App or calling (800) 280-4102.
“What we're asking right now is for blood donors to come out and donate. Donate as soon as they can and help us get that blood supply to a level that we feel secure,” said Hagins. “Then we can meet every transfusion need, whether it's planned or it's something that's an emergency.”
