Blood supplies often dip critically low during the holiday season, with increased demand and a drop in donations. Three local blood drives have been scheduled to answer the need in the region.
The Riverhead Community Blood Drive will take place Friday, Dec 28 from 1 to 7 p.m. at Riverhead Fire Department headquarters on Roanoke Avenue.
The Wading River Fire Department is hosting a blood drive on Saturday, Dec. 29 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the fire department’s headquarters.
The Flanders, Riverside and Northampton Community Association will team up to host a blood drive on Saturday, Jan. 5 from 1 to 7 p.m. at Flanders Fire Department headquarters.
Only 2 percent of the local eligible population donates blood each year, according to the New York Blood Center — but one in three people will need a blood product in their lifetime.
The donation process is four steps: registration, medical history, donation and snacks. The actual donation takes about 10 minutes.
Donors give one pint of whole blood. The materials used for your donation, including the needle, are new, sterile, disposable, and used only once by you for your blood donation. You will rest after the donation and be served refreshments. Plan to spend about an hour at the blood drive.
There is no substitute for human blood.
After donation, your blood will be tested for blood type, hepatitis, HIV (AIDS virus), HTLV (a virus that may cause blood or nerve disease), Chagas, West Nile virus and syphilis. It is then separated into components, such as red cells, plasma and platelets that can help several patients.
Riverhead Fire Department headquarters is located at 540 Roanoke Avenue. All donors in the Riverhead Community Blood Drive will be entered in a raffle to win a gift certificate to the Suffolk Theater. To make an appointment to donate on Dec. 28 call Lauren Reichel at 631-369-9136 or sign up at the N.Y. Blood Center website.
Wading River Fire Department headquarters is located at 1503 North Country Road in Wading River. Visit the N.Y. Blood Center website to schedule an appointment to donate.
Flanders Fire Department is located at 19 Firehouse Lane. All donors will be given hot soup and a hero sandwich courtesy of the Flanders Fire Department. Donors will also get a coupon good for a large sandwich or premium salad at any L.I. McDonald’s restaurant. To schedule a donation, visit the N.Y. Blood Center website.
Walk-ins are always welcome, too.
Donors must have ID with photo or signature and must be between 16 and 75 years of age (under 17 requires parental permission.) A minimum weight of 110 pounds is required. No tattoos in past 12 months.
Editor’s note: This article has been amended post-publication to add the location of a third blood drive in Wading River.
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