Blood Emergency Readiness Corps Activated to Support Hospital Blood Supply Needs
Mississippi Blood Services is among 12 blood providers across the country that have been asked to ship blood components as part of an activation of the Blood Emergency Readiness Corps (BERC) following a mass shooting in Midland, Texas.
The national Blood Emergency Readiness Corps was activated on Friday, June 12, after the shooting resulted in multiple injuries and at least one reported fatality. Injured patients were transported to Midland Memorial Hospital, whose blood supplier, Vitalant, is a member of BERC.
As part of the activation, BERC members that were on call are providing additional units of red blood cells to help replenish blood inventory used in response to the emergency and ensure blood remains available for patients throughout the region.
“Emergencies like this remind us why maintaining a strong blood supply is so important,” said Kasey Dickson, Director of Marketing and Public Relations for Mississippi Blood Services. “When tragedy strikes, hospitals must have blood readily available. The donations made before an emergency occurs are what help save lives when every second counts.”
The Blood Emergency Readiness Corps was established to help blood providers meet immediate transfusion needs during large-scale emergencies. Through a rotating on-call schedule, participating blood centers maintain additional blood inventory that can be deployed quickly when disasters, mass casualty incidents, or other emergencies occur.
While Mississippi Blood Services is proud to support emergency response efforts nationwide, local patients continue to rely on blood donations every day. Trauma patients, cancer patients, sickle cell patients, surgical patients, and others depend on lifesaving blood transfusions.
Mississippi Blood Services encourages eligible donors to give blood regularly to help ensure a stable blood supply for both local patients and emergency response efforts across the country.
To schedule an appointment or find a blood drive near you, visit msblood.com or call 601-368-2673.
