LifeSouth needs blood donations

MONTGOMERY, Alabama (WSFA) – Blood donations at LifeSouth Community Blood Centers are at critical lows.

After tragic events such as the Mass shooting in Birmingham Last weekend, hospitals needed blood donations to support survivors. According to LifeSouth, in these severe cases, patients are given type O negative blood because that is the universal donor group.

Currently, they only have one day's supply of O negative blood.

“Right now, our blood donations for 0 negative and 0 positive might last for one day, so we are trying to get the products we need here every day through our blood drives,” says Melinda Hinds, district coordinator for community development at LifeSouth.

“Our hospitals are not adequately equipped in case of emergency,” she said.

In response to the Birmingham shooting, she explained that hospitals need this blood type because they cannot be sure of patients' blood type in time to give them the transfusions they need, so they resort to universal donation.

“When something like this happens, our hospitals need to be prepared. And supplies of those blood types need to be available. They need to be already tested and ready for the patient, otherwise the patient's life will not be saved,” Hinds said.

She stressed that it is important for people to donate blood before tragic events so that hospitals are prepared for such cases.

She says that a single blood donation can save up to three lives.

Sign up for the WSFA Newsletter and get the latest local news and breaking news sent to your email!

All rights reserved.