Bloodmobile Visits Smithfield

The RI Blood Center's Bloodmobile made a stop yesterday afternoon at the Hess Station at 263 Putnam Pike yesterday.

Driver Steve Parker had the big bus parked to the side of the service station's parking lot at about 2 p.m. to get ready for the blood donation hours from 3-7 p.m. 

Parker said donations in general have increased in the wake of the April 15 Boston Marathon bombings which killed three and injured about 100 people. On that day, Parker said, the RI Blood Center sent 400 units of blood to Boston hospitals to help them treat the injured.

Since then, he said, it's been a matter of replacing what they had on hand Monday. But people have been showing up to donate in big numbers. "They came out in three-fold," over what he usually sees, Parker said.

The next Bloodmobile visit to Smithfield is Tuesday, April 23, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 15 Deerfield Dr. You can visit their site to make an appointment - time slots are already filling up.