Hours after the Oct. 1 mass shooting in Las Vegas, lines of people wrapped around local blood donation centers patiently waiting to give.
But in the months since, the lines have dwindled and the blood that was so generously donated has expired. United Blood Services, a nonprofit blood provider for about 75 hospitals throughout Southern Nevada and parts of Arizona, needs more.
“Tragedy strikes without a moment’s notice and you have to be prepared when it comes,” said Sue Thew, a public and media relations specialist for United Blood Services’ Southwest Division. “It’s not the blood that comes after a tragedy that saves lives, it’s the blood that’s already on the shelf.”
Blood has a shelf life of 42 days. To maintain supply levels, it’s suggested that donors give three times a year.
The group usually has blood shortages during the holidays and in the summer, in part because it relies on drives at schools — and schools are on break then.
Type O-negative is the greatest in demand, Thew said, because it is a universal blood type that can be substituted in emergencies and is used for trauma patients and premature babies. This blood type is used in all transfusions, but only 6 percent of the population has this type, so it’s frequently in short supply.
Type O-negative donors are encouraged to see if they can do a power red donation — giving two units of red blood cells during a single donation while having their plasma and platelets returned to them.
While this blood type is in high demand, Thew said all blood types are needed.
“There are hundreds of — if not thousands of — patients in hospital beds in the Las Vegas area every single day, and while their stories may not be the ones featured in the headline news, their medical needs are just as important,” she said.
Donors must be at least 16 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in good health to donate. They should bring identification, a list of medications they’re taking and a list of countries they have visited.
Additionally, Thew recommends that donors drink water and eat a fulfilling meal before donating. Those who have recently gotten a tattoo must wait a year before donating blood.
United Blood Services operates three donor centers in the Las Vegas Valley, in addition to staging daily blood drives. To find locations and make an appointment, visit BloodHero.com or call 1-877-827-4376.