How to Donate Blood After the Las Vegas Shooting
One easy way to help after a tragedy is to donate blood. Even if you’re not near Las Vegas, blood banks and hospitals are teaming up to get supplies where they need to go. By donating blood now (or in the coming weeks), you can get more blood for those who need it.
United Blood Services and the American Red Cross have supplied blood to Las Vegas hospitals, and both list blood donation centers on their websites. United Blood has six locations in Nevada . The Red Cross is holding a blood rally at the Springhill Suites convention center in Las Vegas, and the Las Vegas Police Department tweeted that the Occupational Health and Welfare Center is also a donation site. Wherever you are, with this tool you can find your nearest blood center .
You can still help if you are in another part of the country; your blood may not go to Las Vegas, but it may go to a hospital near you to free up supplies elsewhere. Donating blood in the coming days and weeks can also help, as blood is often scarce and people who have been injured in a shootout may need more blood and will undergo additional procedures and surgeries over time.
Blood donation organizations have a long list of criteria for deciding who is eligible to donate blood; they are taken from FDA guidelines . Some of the rules are for your own safety, while others are designed to reduce the likelihood of certain diseases in the bloodstream. Some of these rules may be unfair and inappropriate, such as the rule that men who have sex with men cannot donate blood for 12 months. Check with your blood bank before queuing; the Red Cross criteria are here and the United Blood Services is here .