‘Urgent Need’ For Blood in Hurricane Matthew’s Wake

ST. PETERSBURG, FL – As Hurricane Matthew ravaged several southeastern states last week, leaving a trail of destruction and death in his wake, the main supplier of blood products for much of Florida has also found itself reeling.

“The hurricane has greatly reduced our ability to collect blood over the past few days and as a result we are now facing the reality of a severe blood shortage,” Susan Forbes, vice president of marketing and communications for OneBlood, said in a Monday statement. “The donations that come in from areas where we are now operating are helping sustain the blood supply throughout OneBlood’s entire service area.”

OneBlood is a nonprofit organization that provides blood products to hospitals and other care centers in much of Florida and parts of Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina. Many of OneBlood’s donation centers along Florida’s east coast and in parts of Georgia and South Carolina remain closed following Matthew’s trek through the southeast.

Forbes reported Monday that the need for all donations is high. There is a particular need, however, for O negative, platelets and AB plasma.

Hurricane Matthew is blamed for more than 1,000 deaths in the Caribbean and in the United States. The death toll in the U.S. is at least 19, including several fatalities in Florida.

People who wish to donate blood should be at least 16 and must be in generally good health. Donors must also weigh at least 110 pounds. To find OneBlood donor centers or Big Red Bus locations, visit www.oneblood.org online.

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