Blood Connection joins first national blood-reserve organization

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- The Blood Connection is now a part of the Blood Emergency Readiness Corp., which is playing a hand in helping those affected by the tornado in Kentucky.

"It's nice to know that if we had something like that here we would get donations from other states," said Linda Butler with UNC Rex.

Also known as BERC, the organization provides that reassurance because its blood centers committed to collecting extra blood units on a rotating "on-call" schedule to be used for any critical-need scenario.

Butler said she feels for what's going on out in the Midwest because of the blood shortage they are seeing

"It's life-threatening if you're bleeding profusely, you need to get blood and people very quickly and an hour mass transfusion protocols you're giving people six to seven units at a time," she said.

Brian Madden said they are sending extra units of blood there

"Having the blood available and having the participation from our community to have a blood supply that is adequate enough to be sustained puts us in a position to be able to help when disasters happen," said Madden.

But they are still in need of donations.

"Blood is good for 42 days, and usually when there is a trauma situation or something immediate, that blood is donated and processed days or weeks before," Madden said.

The Blood Connection is an independently managed, non-profit community blood center.

The Red Cross, which is not affiliated with The Blood Connection, is also in need of donations, if you would like to donate, head to either organization, click here for The Blood Connection and here for the Red Cross.