Northwest blood donation organization urging people to donate to remedy ‘critically low’ supply

Bloodworks Northwest, a Seattle organization that specializes in transfusion medicine, is urging Washington residents with type O negative blood to donate as hurricane season ramps up in other regions of the United States.

“The impact of reduced collections caused by warmer temperatures, school breaks, and summer vacations has triggered a special appeal to donors to help meet the urgent patient needs in Northwest hospitals and potentially in support of disaster victims around the country in the coming weeks,” the organization wrote in a news release Thursday.

According to the release, the supply of O negative blood is critically low, leaving in question whether Bloodworks would be able to respond should a national emergency occur. The organization currently serves nearly 100 local hospitals for daily needs.

Type O negative is the rarest, which makes the supply of type O more scarce than other types. However, Type O negative is known as the “universal donor” type. This type of blood can be donated to anyone, no matter what their blood type.

“A blood type is considered critically low when it reaches a two-day supply, as opposed to a four-day operational inventory,” the release says. “It takes over 800 donor registrations every day to maintain an operational blood supply in the Northwest.”

All donations are welcome, with a specific need for type O blood and platelets. Potential donors are encouraged to make an appointment at a donation center or mobile blood drive.

Appointments can be made through Bloodworks Northwest online or at 1-800-398-7888. There are three South Sound donation locations, in Olympia, Federal Way and Tukwila.

This story was originally published July 20, 2018 at 1:42 PM.