MOLINE, Ill. — The Blood Emergency Readiness Corps has been activated in response to the Tuesday, May 24 shooting at a Uvalde, Texas, elementary school that left 19 children and two adults dead.
The corps, according to its website, was founded in 2021 and helps blood providers meet immediate transfusion needs in the event of large-scale emergencies. Participating blood centers across the U.S. have joined and stand on call, ready to help fulfill regional supply needs without delay.
ImpactLife, a member of the corps, has asked the public for donations in case it is called upon to send units of Type O-negative red blood cells to help replenish the blood supply used to treat victims of the mass shooting.
“O-negative – the universal blood type – is especially needed, along with platelets, which can come from donors of every blood type," Vice President of Donor Relations and Marketing for ImpactLife Amanda Hess said in a news release. "We ask all donors to schedule appointments as soon as possible to help ensure we continue to meet patient need for the hospitals we serve.”
Shortages of all blood types already occur during the summer months, according to the Community Blood Center, so the need for blood donations was made even more critical following Tuesday's shooting.
To schedule an appointment to donate blood, call ImpactLife at 800-747-5401, visit the ImpactLife website to find a donation center near you or download the ImpactLife mobile app.