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As local hospital emergency room personnel gear up for the Independence Day rush, Blood Assurance is asking the public to lend a helping arm.

The nonprofit is urging residents to assist in replenishing the blood supply by donating whole blood, platelets and plasma in the days leading up to July 4th. As of Thursday, Blood Assurance had an urgent need for O-positive and O-negative blood.

“The time to act is now,” according to Dr. Liz Culler, chief medical officer for Blood Assurance. “We know doctors and nurses are going to have their hands full over Independence Day. It’s imperative that they have blood on hand to treat all the patients who will be coming in with traumatic injuries.”

According to a recent Pew Research Center analysis, July 4 and 5 are the two busiest days of the year for U.S. hospital emergency rooms, accounting for nearly 91,000 patients combined. The biggest reason for the spike is due to injuries from fireworks. About one-third of fireworks-related injuries are burns, based on research from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. 

“Patients suffering from those burns may be in the hospital for months and require lots of surgeries,” said Culler. “A lot of platelets and plasma are used to help their skin heal.” 

As an incentive to donate, from July 1-15, Blood Assurance is awarding each donor a commemorative beach towel and a chance to win a kayak or paddleboard, and a $100 Bass Pro Shops gift card.

To find the nearest blood drive or donation facility, and to schedule an appointment, donors can visit www.bloodassurance.org/schedule. Donors may also call 800-962-0628 or text BAGIVE to 999777

To be eligible to donate blood, you must be at least 17 years old (16 years old with parental consent), weigh 110 pounds or more and be in good health. Donors are asked to drink plenty of fluids — avoiding caffeine — and eat a meal that is rich in iron prior to donating.

Tullahoma residents can schedule an appointment at the Blood Assurance at 604 N. Jackson St. near Walgreens by calling 931- 461-5773. Business hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to noon every third Saturday and Sunday.

Blood Assurance is a nonprofit, full-service regional blood center serving more than 70 health care facilities in Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky and North Carolina. Founded in 1972 as a joint effort of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Medical Society, the Chattanooga Area Hospital Council and the Chattanooga Jaycees, the mission of Blood Assurance is to provide a safe and adequate supply of blood and blood components to every area patient in need.