Blood Center urges donations during 'blood emergency'
Nina SchutzmanThe New York Blood Center has declared an emergency blood shortage because supplies have dropped below required minimums — even for the "seasonally low" summer months.
"Our local blood supply has reached a critically low level, with under a two-day supply of O negative, B negative, and A negative," the center said in a statement.
Because of that, the organization is urging the public to donate blood at a Blood Center donor center or local blood drive — especially those with O negative blood. Due to its high demand, O negative blood is in particularly short supply.
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Approximately every two seconds, a patient in the United States needs blood, according to the organization.
But a combination of the long school break and a series of holidays leads to a decline in blood donation during the summer.
"Historically, during the summer months, blood centers have had to focus on building up the community’s blood supply, as it tends to diminish due to seasonal factors," said Andrea Cefarelli, the Blood Center's executive director of donor recruitment. "While summer months are marked by a long vacation period, with schools in recess and leisure time, the need for blood never takes a vacation."
Donated blood can be "used as medicine to help others for up to 42 days," Cefarelli added. "The best preparation for an unpredictable tragedy is having blood on hospital shelves in advance. This is key to potentially saving lives."
The Blood Center serves 200 hospitals, including the MidHudson Regional Hospital of Westchester Medical Center in Poughkeepsie.
People who want to donate blood can schedule an appointment or find an open drive at nybloodcenter.org
Nina Schutzman: nschutzman@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-451-4518 Twitter: @pojonschutzman
Upcoming blood drives
June 26: IXL Health and Fitness, 3752 Route 9G, Rhinebeck, 3-7:30 p.m.
June 26-27: East Fishkill Donor Center, Hudson Valley Research Park Bldg. 320, Hopewell Junction, 1-8 p.m.
June 29: Castle Point V.A. Medical Center, 41 Castle Point Road, Wappinger Falls, 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
June 30: East Fishkill Donor Center, Hudson Valley Research Park Bldg. 320, Hopewell Junction, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
June 30: Arlington Fire Engine Co. No. 1, 11 Burnett Blvd., Poughkeepsie, 3-7:30 p.m.
July 3: East Fishkill Donor Center, Hudson Valley Research Park Bldg. 320, Hopewell Junction, 1- 8 p.m.
July 3: Bloodstock Briana Venditti, 29 Recreation Center Rd., Hopewell Junction, noon-6 p.m.
July 5: St. John/St. Joachim Church, 31 Willow Street, Beacon, 2-8 p.m.
July 7: East Fishkill Donor Center, Hudson Valley Research Park Bldg. 320, Hopewell Junction, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
July 10-11: East Fishkill Donor Center, Hudson Valley Research Park Bldg. 320, Hopewell Junction, 1-8 p.m.
July 13: H.O. Penn Machinery, 122 Noxon Road, Poughkeepsie, 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
July 14: Pawling Fire Station No. 1, 25 South Street, Pawling 12:30-6:30 p.m.