Greater Cincinnati and Dayton area officials continue to urge people to roll up their sleeves to help ease a local blood shortage.

        “If we had a 21-car pileup or something like that, we'd be in a terrible shape,” said Sher Patrick, public relations coordinator with Community Blood Center in Dayton. “The blood supply in our area is not ready for a major trauma like that. And one thing that we learned from 9-11 is that blood needs to be on the shelves before it's needed.”

        For almost a week, the center, which serves Butler and Warren counties, has been in a local blood emergency. At the Community Blood Center on Friday, inventory was short 579 pints - roughly 16 percent below ideal levels.

        The Hoxworth Blood Center, which serves 24 Greater Cincinnati hospitals, also has been facing a “critical shortage” of type O blood for the past several days.

        As of Friday, the most recent numbers available, Hoxworth was short 295 units of O-positive, and the Community Blood Center needed 220 pints.

        “We have a critical shortage of O-positive and it is the most widely used type,” said Michael Anderson, Hoxworth spokesman.

        The Community Blood Center's A-positive and B-positive inventories also are about 30 percent below normal.

        To help with the shortage, blood drives were held throughout the weekend. Hoxworth collected more than 200 units of blood, combined, Saturday and Sunday 1/2ndash 3/4 but more is needed, Mr. Anderson said.

        To donate blood, a person must be at least 17 years old, weigh more than 110 pounds and be in good physical heath. Donors can give blood every eight weeks.

        The donation process takes about 45 minutes, including registration and the health screening. The blood, which can be used up to 42 days later, helps patients at area hospitals.

        For more information about local blood drives, call 513-451-0910.

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