Find a Blood Drive
Find a Blood Drive
Community encouraged to donate blood April 26 to help save lives
SAN DIEGO (April 19, 2017) — The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department and the American Red Cross announce an upcoming blood drive Wednesday, April 26, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the recently constructed Fire Station 45 in Mission Valley located at 9449 Friars Road.
Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood. The Red Cross needs to collect more than 14,000 blood and platelet donations every day to meet the needs of 2,600 hospitals and transfusion centers nationwide. Patients rely on volunteer donors as the only source of blood for those in need of lifesaving blood transfusions. Blood collected at this drive can help ensure cancer patients, trauma victims, surgery patients and others have the blood products needed.
“Donating blood takes about an hour and has a tremendous impact on those needing blood,” said Brian Fennessy, chief of the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department. “As first responders, we see the need for blood donations firsthand every day. We encourage the public to come out and donate blood to help save lives.”
Opportunities are available to meet the fire chief April 26 from 10 a.m. to noon and to snap a selfie with the San Diego Padres Pad Squad and the Friar between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Donors with all blood types are urged to make an appointment. Blood donation appointments can be scheduled by using the sponsor code FS45 through the Red Cross Blood Donor App, online at redcrossblood.org or by calling1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
Blood donors also can save time by using RapidPass to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, prior to arriving at the blood drive. To get started and learn more, visit redcrossblood.org/RapidPass and follow the instructions on the site.
How to donate blood
A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.
About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.
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