GEORGIA – Here in Georgia and up through the East Coast, the American Red Cross is helping millions of people affected by snow, ice and power outages, and is asking those who can travel safely to make an appointment to give blood. As the thaw begins and roads clear, the Red Cross is hoping Georgians will step up and donate blood to make up for lost time and blood drives.
The storm caused the cancellation of about 265 Red Cross blood drives in the south and along the East Coast, resulting in nearly 9,300 uncollected blood and platelet donations. More are expected as the storm moves north. Back-to-back winter storms had already canceled more than 1,000 blood drives in 34 states and Washington, D.C. this year before this latest storm.
All blood types are needed now and will be needed in the coming weeks to help ensure blood is available for patients. If someone lives in a region unaffected by the storm and is eligible to give blood, the Red Cross asks that they please consider making an appointment to donate blood or platelets.
Appointments to give blood can be made online at redcrossblood.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS. To give blood, someone must be at least 17 years of age, meet weight and height requirements and be in general good health. Donors should bring their Red Cross blood donor card or other form of positive ID with them.
RED CROSS RESPONSE
More than 700 people across eight states, including Georgia, spent Wednesday night in 110 Red Cross and community shelters and warming centers. Since Monday, Georgia’s Red Cross has supplied more than 4,000 cots, 6,000 blankets and pillows, and hundreds of personal hygiene kits to county governments, churches and emergency management agencies for use in partner-operated warming centers and emergency shelters. Red Cross volunteers are also helping to staff many partner facilities in addition to Red Cross-run shelters.
To locate Red Cross or partner agency shelters near you, please consider downloading the free Red Cross Shelter view mobile app:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/
You can also see a full listing of all shelters throughout the state of Georgia at:
· Never use a stove or oven to heat one’s home.
· Don’t use a generator, grill, camp stove or other gasoline, propane, natural gas or charcoal-burning device inside the home, garage, basement, crawlspace or any partially enclosed area. Locate unit away from doors, windows and vents that could allow carbon monoxide to come indoors.
· Don’t hook a generator up to the home’s wiring. People should connect the equipment they need to power directly to the outlets on the generator.
· If using a fireplace, use a glass or metal fire screen large enough to catch sparks and rolling logs.
· If using a space heater, place it on a level, hard surface and keep anything flammable at least three feet away. Turn off space heaters and make sure fireplace embers are out before leaving the room or going to bed.
· Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. Use perishable food from the fridge first, then use food from the freezer. An unopened refrigerator will keep food cold for about four hours. A full freezer will hold its temperature for about 48 hours if the door remains closed.
· If it looks like the power will be out for more than a day, prepare a cooler with ice for freezer items. Keep food covered in a dry, cool spot.
HOW YOU CAN HELP You can help people affected by disasters like winter storms or countless other crises by making a donation to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small. Donate by visiting www.redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
Source: American Red Cross Press Release
