News Release

WARSAW — Blood supplies are at a critical low, and it takes several weeks to rebuild sufficient quantities.

On Sept. 11, the American Red Cross declared a national blood shortage and has said that over the next month, an additional 10,000 units of blood products need to be collected each week to ensure that there are sufficient levels to meet hospital and patient requirements.

Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood. When there are incidents with many victims, the usage of blood products increases.

Blood cannot be duplicated in a factory. It must come from human donors. All types of blood are in constant need.

The American Red Cross has several blood drives scheduled each month in Kosciusko County to help fill the goals, but it takes the commitment of donors to make the blood drives successful.

To make it easier to set an appointment, the Red Cross has established a free blood donor app for smartphones. The app will also help find nearby blood drives, get some of the paperwork completed with RapidPass and much more. Online, blood drive information is available at redcross.org/give-blood.html.

Upcoming October American Red Cross blood drives in Kosciusko County are:

• Tuesday, Oct. 3 — 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Firemen’s Building, 1013 E. Arthur St., Warsaw
• Tuesday, Oct. 3 — 1-6 p.m., Heritage Park Community Building, 338 S. Walnut, Etna Green
• Saturday, Oct. 7 — 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., YMCA, 1305 Mariners Drive, Warsaw
• Wednesday, Oct. 11 — Noon to 6 p.m., Firemen’s Building, 1013 E. Arthur St., Warsaw
• Monday, Oct. 16 — 1-6 p.m., Grace Gordon Rec Center, 100 Publishers Drive, Winona Lake
• Tuesday, Oct. 17 — 1-6 p.m., North Webster Church of God, 302 N. Main St., North Webster
• Thursday, Oct. 26 — Noon to 6 p.m., Firemen’s Building, 1013 E. Arthur St., Warsaw

A single donation can save as many as three lives.