In partnership with the United Blood Services (UBS) in Las Vegas, Bloodworks Northwest is offering emergency blood components for medical treatment of people injured in the mass shooting on Sunday night.
“We know that a large number of patients will need treatment and ongoing care,” Dr. James P. AuBuchon, president and CEO of Bloodworks Northwest, said in a media release. “We expect to be called upon and stand ready to assist immediately with emergency shipments.”
UBS advised that while their immediate hospital requirements are being met, additional supplies will be needed.
“We’re urging local donors who have not donated recently – regulars and first-timers – to help us build strong local inventories by donating this week so we can be ready to respond when shipments to Las Vegas are needed to help victims of this tragedy,” AuBuchon said.
Bloodworks Northwest has 12 donation centers across Washington state and Oregon, including Tukwila, 130 Andover Park E., and Federal Way, 1414 S. 324th St., Suite B101. Blood collected will be rushed to Las Vegas where it will be used for emergency support of the tragedy.
Donors can schedule an appointment at schedule.bloodworksNW.org or by calling 1-800-398-7888.
It takes about 800 donors a day to maintain a sufficient supply for the nearly 100 hospitals served by Bloodworks Northwest for support of patients in the Pacific Northwest undergoing organ transplants, receiving treatment for cancer and blood disorders, receiving support for traumatic injuries, and undergoing surgeries – even more donations are necessary to respond to this emergency.
Responding to emergencies, whether local or national, requires blood that is already collected, tested, on the shelves and ready for immediate use. When disasters happen and emergency transfusions are required, the need is acute for most-common Type O blood, platelets and universal AB plasma.
“While our primary mission supports local patients, when catastrophes happen we do whatever we can to help — even when local supplies are as tight as they’ve been in recent weeks,” AuBuchon said. “Whether the need is local or somewhere else, we need to be able to respond instantly — and for that we need stronger inventories all the time.
Donors can also can check online at BloodworksNW.org to find dates and times of mobile drives close to where they live or work.
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