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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JANUARY 11, 2007, SEATTLE — Blood supply levels at Puget Sound Blood Center are now at critical levels, the lowest the Puget Sound Blood Center has experienced in four years. Puget Sound Blood Center (serving 14 Western Washington Counties) and Cascade Regional Blood Services (serving Pierce and South King Counties) are jointly urging blood donors to donate at a blood drive or donor center today or over the next couple days. All levels are low and we are currently approaching one-day levels in Type O and Type A blood. Any coverage is greatly appreciated. To donate call the Blood Center at 800-398-7888 or Cascade at 1-877-24-BLOOD.
Four large blood drives have been cancelled so far today. Many drives are still taking place at area high schools, businesses and organizations, but the hours will match those organizations late start times, impacting the number of donors able to donate.
We expect many donors will have difficulty making their way to the drives still taking place or to our donor centers. As expected, the cold weather also significantly reduced the number of donors able to make their scheduled appointments at donor centers and mobile drives yesterday.
Compounding the problem, the Blood Center has issued more blood to regional medical facilities than typical each of the last several days. Yesterday’s issue was one of the highest seen in five years. Nearly 1100 units of red blood cells were sent to local hospitals and medical facilities, double a normal daily issue. Blood issued is used not only by area patients who suffer trauma, but also for patients who need blood for cancer treatments, blood disorders and more.
- We estimate only 350 of the scheduled 1000 donations will be made today. Four significant blood drives, including several scheduled at area high schools, have been cancelled. We expect only half of the donors scheduled at other drives scheduled today. We expect only half of those donors scheduled at our nine donor centers to make it in to donate.
- Yesterday’s cold weather impacted donations we had scheduled for the day. We saw 200 fewer donors than scheduled.
- With the cold snap expected to continue through tomorrow we anticipate several significant drives will be cancelled. If they are we expect to see nearly 500 fewer donations over what has been scheduled for Friday.
- Yesterday Puget Sound Blood Center issued Red Blood Cells at double the level typical of a single day. Yesterday’s issue was the highest seen in five years.
- Puget Sound Blood Center is joining with Cascade Region Blood Services to urge volunteers to donate.
- Due to adverse weather and holiday time distractions, the Blood Center had 3000 fewer donations than typical since late November.
- We expect only 50% of donors scheduled today for donations at the Blood Center’s donor centers and blood drives.
- All nine do nor centers are open today and through the rest of the week during their normal hours.
Several factors have combined to put the Blood Center and Cascade Regional Blood Services on alert. The Blood Center normally anticipates and prepares for the typical tapering of blood donations that occurs through the holidays, beginning with Thanksgiving. The severe storms that followed in late November and in December and their associated school closures dealt several blows to the Blood Center’s blood inventory. The Blood Center’s supply was still in midst of recovery when the most recent storm began to affect our area yesterday.
All Puget Sound Blood Center donor centers are open their normal hours through the weekend. The Blood Center encourages anyone who is able to safely make their way to one of the Blood Center’s donor centers or blood drives to donate through the end of the week. Schedule an appointment at 800-398-7888 or visit our Web site at www.psbc.org. Walk-ins at the donor centers. Cascade Regional Blood Sevices can be reached at www.cascadebloodcenters.org or 1-877-24-BLOOD.
Puget Sound Blood Center operates nine donor centers located in Western Washington: ###
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