BCP Reporting Less than a Half-day’s Supply

August 15, 2006

Blood Centers of the Pacific Reporting Less than a Half-day’s Supply

Blood Centers of the Pacific (BCP) is asking for immediate blood donations – especially of Type O blood – to boost critically low blood supplies. As of this morning, the blood bank is reporting:

A deficit of 420 pints of Type O blood;
Rationing of blood to the 40 hospitals it serves;
Heavy usage of blood due to traumas, including car accidents and gunshots, as well as several organ transplants;
Inability to receive regular blood imports from outside the state, which usually make up 20 percent of the Bay Area’s blood supply; and
Serious concern over region’s ability to respond to an emergency, such as a natural disaster or attack.
If the region’s blood supply does not improve within 48 hours, hospitals will be strongly encouraged to postpone scheduled surgeries expected to require significant amounts of Type O blood.

Typically, the summertime brings blood shortages to metropolitan areas, as many regular blood donors go on vacation and donor groups such as high schools and colleges aren’t able to host blood drives.

Of those people eligible to donate blood, less than 4 percent actually do. To make up that deficit, BCP regularly imports blood from outside the state. However, because summertime shortages are nationwide, the blood center has been unable to receive its regular orders of blood.

Blood Centers of the Pacific is a nonprofit, community-based organization that provides volunteer blood donations to patients in 40 hospitals throughout Northern California. BCP has donation locations throughout the region.

To donate blood, call 888-393-GIVE or visit http://www.bloodcenters.org.

Lisa Bloch, (415) 749-6612