Red Cross 2K units short blood donations in Oregon, Wash. due to ice, snow storms

PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) - The American Red Cross in Oregon and Washington is short more than 2,000 units of donated blood after regional winter storms canceled blood drives across the area, they said Friday.

Back-to-back winter storms this week forced the Red Cross to cancel more than 70 drives, which would have resulted in donations of about 2,100 units of blood. This has placed an already “vulnerable inventory at critical levels,” they said.

The Red Cross Cascades Region on Friday said blood donors are urgently needed to help rebuild the stock of blood and platelets for hospital patients.

“This weather impact comes as we are already in the midst of an emergency blood shortage,” said Angel Montes with Red Cross Cascades Region. “And winter isn’t over yet.”

Every day, the Red Cross must collect about 12,500 blood and 3,000 platelet donations for patients undergoing medical procedures and treatments at about 2,500 hospitals and transfusion centers nationwide.

People can make an appointment to give blood via the Red Cross Blood Donor App, by visiting RedCrossBlood.org or by calling 1-800-733-2767. Additionally, people can help by volunteering. Learn more here.