The American Red Cross said its need for blood after the Orlando shooting Sunday has been met, spokeswoman Kristen Stancil confirmed Tuesday.
While Stancil was unable to provide the total number of donors in the days immediately after the shooting, she said blood donations were up not only in Orlando and the surrounding areas, but throughout the country.
“The amount of support we received was overwhelming,” she said.
The Red Cross works independently from other blood donation operations, she said. Emails and calls requesting donation totals from OneBlood and LifeSource were not returned.
But despite the Red Cross’ need for blood being met in Orlando, Stancil encouraged anyone interested in donating blood to continue to do so.
“Blood centers often see blood and platelet donations decline during the summer months,” the Red Cross said in a news release. “… The American Red Cross encourage eligible individuals to schedule an appointment for the weeks and months ahead – particularly the challenging months of July and August.”
Despite local centers having their needs met, collected blood has a shelf life of up to 42 days, Stancil said, and any blood donated to the Red Cross can be safely transferred to facilities throughout the country.
