S

Blood Assurance is in immediate need of blood and platelet donors after the devastating landfall of Hurricane Helene and on the blood supply.

The storm has caused widespread cancellations of appointments and blood drives across our service area. In addition, Blood Assurance is on standby this week with the Blood Emergency Readiness Corps (BERC), to provide immediate support to communities in Florida if needed.

BERC, made up of 35 community blood centers across the United States, collects extra units of blood on a rotating basis to be ready for disasters like this. These life-saving donations are crucial in times of crisis.

“We’re in critical need of O-Negative, O-Positive, and platelet donors,” Blood Assurance officials said. “O-Negative is the universal blood type, often used in emergencies, while O-Positive is the most common blood type in the U.S. Platelets help control bleeding and are vital in emergency situations. We’re also looking for AB Plasma donors, as AB is the universal plasma type.”

Donors can visit www.bloodassurance.org/schedule, call 800-962-0628, or text BAGIVE to 999777, to schedule an appointment. Walk-ins are also accepted.

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 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.

To be eligible to donate, donors 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 and eat a hearty meal prior to donating.

About Blood Assurance

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.

About the Blood Emergency Readiness Corps

The Blood Emergency Readiness Corps (BERC), a joint effort of 35 community blood centers, was founded in 2021 to meet immediate transfusion needs when faced with large scale emergency situations that require blood transfusions. These blood centers commit to collecting extra units on a rotating “on call” schedule to create an available supply of blood for emergency needs.