Carter Blood Care urges donors to donate blood after winter storm runs out

DALLAS – Blood banks say last week’s winter storm drained their resources.

Since the shelves are nearly empty, some of the patient procedures are being delayed until the blood supply is replenished.

This is a simple procedure and is not currently sufficient.

“We need to see more than 1,200 donors a day to meet local demand,” said Veronica Moore of Carter Blood Care.

Blood donations have lagged demand in North Texas after more than three days of ice storms last week that blocked travel for tens of thousands. Not to mention, this is usually a slow time of year for donors to roll up their sleeves.

“When we can’t collect for three days, as we saw last week, it really impacts the patient, their treatment, and the procedures they can do,” Moore said. “So right now we are in a state where we have to wait. There may be a delay in getting the treatment they need, the transfusions they need.”

Carter Blood Care says platelets only last up to seven days and are in high demand. As well as the negative type O, which can be received by any patient in trauma and emergency situations.

“So now that patients may have also delayed their treatment due to the weather and unsafe conditions, now we can see even more of them coming along with other patients we need to serve in the community.”

The hope is to encourage current and new donors to find time to potentially save lives.