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American Red Cross Announces Blood Shortage

ESTHER RATY / KUER

The American Red Cross has announced a blood shortage and is asking for all eligible donors to come give blood. 

Red Cross representatives say fewer people tend to donate in the summer months when many people are vacationing. 

Tammy Nakamura works for the Red Cross Blood Services in Utah. She says, nationally, the Red Cross uses 14 thousand pints of blood every day, and their supply is getting low enough it could become a problem for hospitals.

“If you’re a patient in a hospital, you don’t get a vacation from needing blood, you have to have that blood. And the hospitals need to have it on hand" she says. "So we really encourage folks to donate.”

Janille Baker is giving blood for the first time in years. You can hear the hum of the machinery in the Murray donation center. She says even though she lives out of town she decided to come into the Red Cross when she got a phone call and email letting her know about the blood shortage.

“I guess I don’t really think about it, and I have a really common blood type," she says. "So I guess you assume that other people with your blood type have done it.”

Nakamura says even if you’re traveling this summer you can always find a local blood drive on the Red Cross website. 

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