Northeast Oklahoma Red Cross Blood Donations At 15-Year Low

The American Red Cross says this has been its worst year for blood donations; in fact, it hasn't been this bad since the late 1990s.

Red Cross officials say their blood supply is half of what it was this time last year.

Several factors have come into play, but the Red Cross is mostly blaming the weather.  The oppressive heat, summer storms, even the Fourth of July falling on a Wednesday have all been cited as reasons for the low supply.

In Tulsa, Red Cross Communications Director Jan Hale says the summer breaks for high school and college kids aren't helping the supply, either.  Hale says 20 percent of their donations come from that group.

If things get worse, there is a next step that Red Cross officials hope can be avoided.

"Selective surgeries are rescheduled or the blood that may be needed for a patient is not as readily available. We're working really hard and really need people to hear, please come in and donate, so we don't get to that next step," said Jan Hale.

Hale says the Red Cross needs all types of blood, but especially O-positive, O-negative, A-negative, and B-negative.

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