Code Red Emergency

Area Donors Urged to Respond Immediately

CODE RED emergency appeal for O Negative blood
High usage, low donation rates over an extended period prompt plea for donors

May 7, 2018 – A combination of lower than normal donor response and increased hospital usage has prompted Community Blood Center of the Ozarks (CBCO) to declare a CODE RED emergency appeal for type O Negative blood. Type O Negative donors are strongly urged to give this week at a CBCO blood drive or donor center near them.

“Only about six percent of the population has O Negative blood, but it can be given to patients with any blood type,” CBCO Senior Director of Donor Recruitment David Montgomery said. “Because it is used in emergency situations, it is critical that we maintain a strong supply for local hospitals. In recent weeks, we have been shipping O Negative blood out at higher rates than we have collected and our reserves have dropped to extremely low levels.”

Officials at the blood center say that hospitals use this blood type at more than twice the rate of the general population, making the need for this unique type difficult to keep up with. “When a trauma patient arrives for treatment, type O Negative is used to stabilize them until their blood type is confirmed,” Montgomery added.  “We supply 41 hospitals in our region and each of them requires an ample supply of the universal blood type for this very reason.”

There are four CBCO donor centers in the region, along with mobile blood drives that take place daily within the 40-county service area. Anyone at least age 17 (or 16 with parental permission), weighing a minimum of 110 pounds, and in good health is eligible to donate blood. To find a center near you, visit www.cbco.org and click on the “Donate Blood” button. Enter your zip code, county, or city to find a donor center or blood drive near you. Call toll-free at (800) 280-5337 for center hours of operation or for more information about blood drives in your area.