Red Cross Blood Drives To Be Held For Hurricane, Disaster Victims In Somerset County

SOMERSET COUNTY, NJ — The American Red Cross will be hosting blood drives during National Preparedness Month in September to help in response to wildfires and historic hurricanes.

Local blood drives will be held in Somerset County at:

• Basking Ridge: Sept. 18 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Somerset County Senior Wellness Center, 202 Mt. Airy Road
• Martinsville: Sept. 17 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Blessed Sacrament Church, 1890 Washington Valley Road
• Raritan: Sept. 26 from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., OMP Building, 1000 Route 202 S.

Hurricane Irma has forced the cancellation of dozens of Red Cross blood drives in the Southeast, resulting in more than 2,100 uncollected blood and platelet donations. Natural disasters like hurricanes can disrupt blood drives and prevent donors from giving, but hospital patients still depend on lifesaving transfusions. Volunteer blood and platelet donors are the only source for blood products needed by hospital patients.

Individuals in parts of the country unaffected by Hurricane Irma are encouraged to give blood or platelets to help ensure a sufficient blood supply. All blood types are currently needed.

Appointments can be made by using the Blood Donor App, visiting redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS. To help reduce wait times, donors are encouraged to make appointments and use RapidPass to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questions online, on the day of their donation, from a computer or mobile device at redcrossblood.org/rapidpass.

As a thank-you, those who come to donate blood or platelets through Sept. 30, will receive a coupon for a free haircut at participating Sport Clips locations. More information is available at redcrossblood.org/sport-clips.

(Image via Shutterstock)

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