Blood Bank of Alaska searches for more donors

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (KTVF) – The Blood Bank of Alaska is currently experiencing a state-wide blood shortage. The blood bank supplies 23 hospitals and clinics in the state, including several in Fairbanks.

Their current inventory of blood is sufficient to fill routine hospital requests, but Wes Dahlgren, Director of Collections for the Blood Bank of Alaska said that an unexpected community trauma could easily wipe them out.

Though many days the blood bank sees between 50 and 75 donors statewide, the ideal number is 100 per day. Over 50 percent of their stock comes from the number of dedicated donors who give blood four to five times per year.

If every person who donates blood once per year switched to donating twice per year, Dahlgren says that there would never be a blood shortage in the United States.

The blood types that are critically needed are O+, O-, and A.

Anyone can discover their blood type at Blood Bank of Alaska’s Fairbanks Center at 3010 Airport Way. They can also be reached at (907) 456-5645, or online at https://www.bloodbankofalaska.org.

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