Photo courtesy of NASAThe American Red Cross is urging residents in parts of the country that were not affected by Hurricane Sandy to coordinate blood drives and donations to help alleviate a shortfall on the East Coast.
Officials say Hurricane Sandy forced about 300 blood drives to be canceled in 14 states across the East Coast, leaving a shortfall of nearly 9,000 blood and platelet donations.
Due to the continued power outages and flooding in many areas, the shortfall is expected to grow -- and that's why eligible donors in other parts of the country are being urged to roll up their sleeves.
Officials say donations from all blood types are needed to make sure there is an adequate supply available to disasters -- especially the following types:
- Type O positive
- Type O negative
- A negative
- B negative
Donors can call 1-800-733-2767 to schedule an appointment or visit redcrossblood.org for more information. Anyone preparing to give blood or platelets should bring either a blood donor card, a driver's license or two other forms of identification to their appointment.
Anyone who wishes to coordinate a blood drive can get a coordinator's toolkit online.
Those who wish to help the victims of the storm can also donate to the American Red Cross to help provide shelter, food, emotional support and other help in any of the following ways:
- Call 1-800-RED-CROSS
- Text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation
- Send a donation by mail to a local American Red Cross chapter or to the address listed below.
American Red Cross
P.O. Box 37243
Washington, DC 20013
Online resources:
