Red Cross warns of severe blood shortage in US
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - The Red Cross and Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center partnered up for a blood drive Friday.
This comes as the Red Cross says in a press release, they are "experiencing a severe blood shortage as the number of trauma cases, organ transplants and elective surgeries rise."
EIRMC teamed up with the Red Cross to hold a blood drive to help.
"We're just grateful for the Red Cross, and their association and their willingness to come and help us work and be a solution to that shortage across the nation," said Scott Bradley, the lab services director at EIRMC.
"Our biggest concern is when we get to the point of an emergency that comes in, we have maybe depleted our stock at that moment and are needing to give blood right away," Bradley said.
As a level II trauma and burn center, EIRMC can go through 10-15 units of blood on an average day, and on a busy day, upwards of 50-75 units.
On Friday 20-25 units were donated.
There are more donation opportunities coming up as well.
- 6/22/2021: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Butte Middle/ High School - LSL, 120 South Water St. in Arco
- 6/23/2021: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Christ the King Catholic Church/Parish Hall, 1690 17th St. in Idaho Falls
- 6/23/2021: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Highway 93 in Challis
- 6/25/2021: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Summit Spine IF, 1515 Ashment Suite 2 in Idaho Falls
- 6/30/2021: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Faith Lutheran Church, 856 W Eldredge Road in Pocatello.
You can find more info on donation requirements here.
