This Tool Will Help You Find a Donation Site in Your Area.
When a disaster strikes, you can donate blood to help. While it may be more beneficial to wait than to donate blood right away , you need to know where your local blood bank is located. This tool can help.
This American Blood Banking Association tool can help you find blood banks in your area. Enter your city and zip code and it will give you the address and phone numbers of institutions in your area. Keep in mind that while the Red Cross is one of the largest and most recognized blood donor collectors, it only accounts for about 40% of blood donations . Another 50% of blood donated in the United States comes from local blood centers. So, if your local Red Cross does not accept donations, check other centers in your area to see if there is a need for them.
Also remember that blood banks need donation both in the first weeks after the tragedy and immediately after it. When a disaster is widely publicized, banks are often flooded with donations (and that’s a good thing!), But donated blood has a shelf life of only about 42 years . If your local donation center is full, be sure to check back in a few weeks when the news dies down.
Blood Bank Locator | AABB