Blood Supplies Low at State Hospitals After Spat of Bad Winter Weather

Thursday, January 18th, 2024 -- 12:00 PM

(Margaret Faust, Wisconsin Public Radio) Blood inventory levels in Wisconsin hospitals are low after recent winter storms.  

According to Margaret Faust with Wisconsin Public Radio, blood drives were canceled and donors missed appointments last week as parts of southeastern Wisconsin saw up to 12 inches of snow and temperatures were in the negatives.

Now, hospitals and emergency medical services providers are working with limited inventory. John Hagins is the CEO of the Community Blood Center, which supplies blood and blood products to 50 hospitals in Wisconsin.

He said the need for blood donations is urgent. “We use the term ‘urgent’ to make sure that everyone knows that blood has to be available when it’s needed,” Hagins said. The storms have disrupted the blood reserves for this week because the system works a week in advance, Hagins said.

“Blood that’s donated today may be available three days from now. In order to replenish the blood supply, it takes a little bit of time, (it) takes some testing in order to make sure that the blood’s safe and available for patients,” Hagins said.

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