Blood Supply Dangerously Low, Red Cross Reports

With blood inventories down to crisis levels after the Fourth of July weekend, the Red Cross is asking the public to give blood.

“Recently, blood donations have dramatically decreased,” said Peter L. Page, head of the Southern California Region of American Red Cross Blood Services, in a statement. “If blood donations do not increase, elective surgeries at Southern California hospitals may have to be postponed in the near future.”

The Red Cross currently has 17% of the desired inventory of O positive blood and 3% of O negative blood necessary to maintain a stable blood supply for the region. The supply of O blood types is the most depleted, but Red Cross officials said there is a crucial need to stock all types.

“It’s really bad right now, because other parts of the country are also low,” said Red Cross spokeswoman Julie Juliusson.

She said rates of giving blood are notoriously low in Southern California. Only 3.5% of the population gives blood here, compared to about 15% of the population of St. Louis.

That means that Southern California always has to import blood from other parts of the country. Juliusson added that the local crunch grows worse during holidays and summer months, because about 20% of the blood collected here comes from colleges and high schools, most of which are out of session at those times.

To maintain an adequate supply, she said, the Southern California region needs to collect 1,000 units a day; on Monday it collected 134 units.

Valley residents can call (800) GIVE-LIFE to schedule appointments to donate blood at the following community sites:

* Red Cross Center, 1001 W. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank.

* LAPD Community Center, 16263 San Fernando Mission Blvd., Granada Hills.

* LAPD Community Center, 11640 Burbank Blvd., Studio City.

* Tujunga United Methodist Church, 9901 Tujunga Canyon Road.

* American Legion Hall, 5320 Fallbrook Ave., Woodland Hills.

There is also a major donor center at 14717 Sherman Way in Van Nuys, open from noon to 7:15 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, 6:30 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. Friday and 7 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. Saturday.