OBI Urges People To Donate Blood, Help Ease Blood Emergency Across State

The winter storm has created a critical shortage at the Oklahoma Blood Institute.

Blood drives across the state were canceled last week due to the snow and ice. On Thursday, OBI declared Oklahoma had a less than a one-day supply of blood.

"The need for donation is constant, since blood has a limited time for use," said John Armitage, M.D., president and CEO. "Thursday, we had more than 450 fewer donors than planned across the state. With a typical supply of three to five days, it only takes a storm like this to put us into an emergency status."

Donors to OBI provide blood for patients at more than 140 medical facilities across the state, including all Oklahoma City metro hospitals.

OBI is asking all eligible donors who can safely travel to donate blood this weekend. Several OBI donor centers will also be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Here's a list of those centers:

Ada, 1930 Stonecipher Blvd.
Ardmore, 1420 Veterans Blvd.
Central OKC, 901 N. Lincoln Blvd.
Edmond, 3409 S. Broadway, Ste. 300
Enid, 301 E. Cherokee
Lawton, 211 S.W. A Ave.
Norman, 1004 24th Ave. N.W., Ste. 101
North OKC, 5105 N. Portland Ave.
Tulsa, 4601 E. 81st St.

"Recovery" blood drives have also been scheduled for central Oklahoma as follows:

Monday
-8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Putnam City North High School; donor check-in at office

Tuesday
-9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Leadership Square, north tower, west wing
-Noon to 5 p.m., OU Children's Hospital in the Samis Center
-Noon to 5 p.m., OU Medical Center on the bloodmobile at the Main Entrance

Wednesday
-8 a.m. to noon; Crescent High School; donor check-in at office
-1 to 6 p.m.; Jones High School; donor check-in at office

Thursday
-8 a.m. to noon; Oklahoma State Capital Blue Room
-1 to 6 p.m.; Cordell Memorial Hospital
l-9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Wayne High School

To schedule an appointment to donate blood at any OBI site, call 1-877-340-8777, or visit www.obi.org to see a list of blood drives and donor centers.