Blood Drives Scheduled To Make Up Missed Donations

Thanks to the Blizzard of 2013's traffic bans and power outages, the Rhode Island Blood Center missed about 600 blood donations, and they need your help to avoid running out.

The organization is asking donors, particularly platelet donors, to consider donating blood as early as possible this week, helping to avoid a blood shortage.

“We lost two days to the blizzard and a quarter of our state was without power, causing lost blood drives and donation days,” said Frank Prosnitz, the Rhode Island Blood Center’s communications manager. “Not all power has been restored, jeopardizing some blood drives and certainly diverting donors’ attention to their own immediate needs."

But, those factors haven't diminished the daily demand for up to 280 pints of blood for hospitalized patients.

“Our platelet supply in particular was enough to carry us through the early part of this week, but it is essential that we replenish supplies to avoid any blood shortages," Prosnitz said.

There'll be some local blood drives to give citizens a shot at helping out:

• Narragansett, 14 Woodruff Ave., Wednesday, 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon
• Providence, 405 Promenade St., Thursday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; and Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
• Warwick, 615 Greenwich Ave., Wednesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Additionally, the Warwick Center is open today (Feb. 11) from 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Middletown, 688 Aquidneck Ave., Thursday, 12:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon.

Each day the Blood Center holds multiple blood drives, besides its regular schedules at its five donor centers. For information about blood drives, please visit the Blood Center’s web site at www.ribc.org.