How to Organize Blood Donation in a Crisis

Situations may arise when emergency response organizations will declare a blood crisis and call for blood donations. This could happen during a tragedy when large numbers of people are injured and in need of blood, or simply when donations are down due to holidays, wintry weather or flu season. The following steps will help you organize blood donations in a crisis.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Contact your local blood service provider when you hear of an emergency situation or blood crisis. Make the call immediately and volunteer to organize a blood drive.
2. Pick a location for the blood drive. With a typical blood drive, you would have time to arrange it at your church or school. In a crisis, you may need a more easily-accessible and visible place like a grocery store parking lot. You want to attract as many people as possible. You'll most likely be using a bloodmobile, and you may need a large indoor place, such as a gymnasium or community center, to set up reclining chairs to accommodate many people.
3. Elicit help from your most ambitious and industrious friends and co-workers to get the word out and to organize your emergency blood drive. Assign each person a task, such as contacting churches and service organizations, serving refreshments, providing transportation for the elderly and setting up childcare at the drive site.
4. Publicize your crisis blood donation schedule. Hang fliers in high traffic places and ask local media to carry public service announcements.
5. Contact everyone you know to sign up to donate blood, stressing the crisis. Direct potential donors to websites, such as America's Blood Centers or the American Red Cross to read the pre-screening questions. Time is of the essence and if someone knows upfront that he is ineligible to donate, the providers' personnel won't be wasting time with him. The idea in a crisis situation is to get as many qualified, healthy people in and out as possible.
6. Provide snacks and drinks for your donors so they can regain their strength. Have fruit juice, water and individual serving packages of crackers or cookies on hand. Remember to thank all the donors as they leave. They have saved lives by giving of their time and blood and will appreciate your gratitude.

Tips & Warnings

• Ask the local service organizations, such as Kiwanis, Rotary and Lions Clubs and churches, to sign up for one hour time slots they can fill with their members.
• If you can't find a blood services organization in your area, contact the national hotline for the American Red Cross at (800) GIVE-LIFE (800-448-3543) and ask how you can help. If the crisis occurred in your area, the Red Cross may refer you to a local organizer.
• Even if the crisis didn't occur in your immediate area, blood collected at your blood drive can be transported to other areas, so it is still important that you help as much as you can.