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Blood Drives Draw Crowds in North Carolina
Written by
Bonnie Gillespie
, Staff Writer, RedCross.org
Monday, February 03, 2003 — When a deadly explosion rocked Kinston, N.C., last week, community members turned out in droves to help victims of the pharmaceutical plant disaster by donating blood. Not only did they assist those injured in the tragedy, but local residents also helped ease the blood shortage crisis plaguing the entire nation.
Many fireman, like the one seen here, left the scene of the explosion at the West Pharmaceutical Services plant and went directly to donate blood.
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"The Red Cross has received hundreds of blood donations from volunteer donors in North Carolina in honor of those affected by the West Pharmaceutical plant explosion," said Rebecca Hinkle, Communications Director for the Red Cross Mid-Atlantic Blood Services Region.
Six blood drives have taken place near Kinston since the disaster on Jan. 29. At every location, goals for blood unit collections were exceeded, and attendance soared beyond expectations.
"This is a very close-knit community and everybody wanted to do something to help," said Becky Barnett, Blood Services Coordinator for the Lenoir County Chapter of the Red Cross. "Giving blood was the way they could contribute."
Local residents responded immediately, Barnett said, flooding the local chapter with calls about donating blood. At an emergency blood drive the day after the tragedy, more than 200 people showed up at local shopping mall and 159 units of blood were collected. Thirty people were first-time donors.
"We even had three firemen who came directly from the scene of the explosion," she said. "They stopped on their way home because they knew they could help by giving blood, too."
According to Hinkle, at least two of the major hospitals in the area went into a "mass casualty" mode upon learning of the explosion, calling on the Red Cross to be poised to provide blood.
Many North Carolina residents waited in line for hours at a local shopping mall to donate blood following the tragic explosion.
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However, even though the Red Cross provides nearly half of the nation's blood supply, a critical blood shortage has confronted suppliers, as some hospital reserves have dwindled to a one-day supply.
The American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) and the Red Cross have issued a joint appeal for blood donations, and the people of North Carolina have exemplified the importance and possibility of answering that call.
Blood drives are held every day in eastern North Carolina and donors can find the location of a blood drive near them by calling 1-800-Give Life, or by visiting www.redcross.org/midatlanticblood.
Nationwide, those interested in donating blood may call one of the following numbers for more information and to find out where they can schedule an appointment to donate:
All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. The Red Cross also supplies nearly half of the nation's lifesaving blood. This, too, is made possible by generous voluntary donations. You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to those in need. You can make a secure online credit card donation or call 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767) or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Or you may send your donation to your local Red Cross or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013. To donate blood, please call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE (1-800-448-3543), or contact your local Red Cross to find out about upcoming blood drives.
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