Release from American Red Cross
After devastating tornadoes ripped through four states Friday and Saturday, the American Red Cross is beginning its work to support large relief efforts to help those most affected, as well as supplying blood products to area hospitals in need.
“Right now, the need is great,” said Steve Cunanan, regional executive of the Kentucky Red Cross. “I’ve seen firsthand that there has been so much devastation. People lost loved ones, their homes, everything is just gone for them. We’re moving as quickly as we can to get much needed disaster relief and blood products to area hospitals in these communities that are unrecognizable now.”
With more volunteers and supplies moving into the affected areas in the coming days, the Red Cross is working around the clock with partners to make sure everyone has a safe place to stay, emotional support and comfort in the face of one of the most devastating tornado outbreaks in years. Saturday night, there were at least eight emergency shelters open in Kentucky, where about 190 people sought safe refuge. Shelters are also open in Tennessee.
Red Cross volunteers are also helping to assess the damage in affected communities as areas become accessible to help determine how many families were affected and what types of help they may need in the coming days and weeks.
In response to hospital requests, the Red Cross has provided approximately 200 additional blood products for patients in the impacted areas and stands ready to provide more blood products as needed.
Prior to the tornado outbreak, the nation was already facing historically low blood supply challenges and more donors are needed to ensure a readily available blood supply. Red Cross blood drives in affected communities may be canceled or experience lower donor turnout in the coming days, further straining blood inventory levels.
Those in areas unaffected by this tornado outbreak are urged to make an appointment today to give blood in the days and weeks ahead to help ensure blood products are available for patients wherever the need arises.
Through its national inventory, the Red Cross can distribute blood whenever and wherever it is needed. Blood can take up to three days to be tested, processed and made available for patients, so it’s the blood already on the shelves that helps save lives in an emergency.
YOU CAN HELP people affected by disasters like tornadoes and countless other crises by making a gift to Red Cross Disaster Relief. To make a financial donation or schedule an appointment to give blood or platelets, visit redcross.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS. You can also use the Red Cross Blood Donor app or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 gift today. Every single contribution matters. Your donation is a commitment to helping people in need and enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small.
For those interested in helping people specifically affected by the recent tornadoes, we ask that they write “Southern and Midwest Tornadoes” in the memo line of a check and mail it with a completed donation form to the address on the form or their local Red Cross chapter.
There are local blood drives in the area on Monday at CrossPoint Church at 1410 East 30th from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. and on Friday at St. Peter's United Church of Christ in Inman from Noon to 6 p.m. and at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.