Health

Blood supplies low following blizzard; donors wanted

A blood drive is being held at North Shore Christian Church on Thursday. (Courtesy photo)
A blood drive is being held at North Shore Christian Church on Thursday. (Courtesy photo)

With blizzard conditions sweeping the region this week, the last thing on many people’s minds has been donating blood — and it’s created the largest loss of blood donations since Hurricane Sandy, according to New York Blood Center officials.

The organization has issued an emergency blood appeal, reporting that is short some 3,000 pints of blood.

The storm has left supplies “dangerously low,” according to the center’s website, which has declared a “blood emergency.”

Should residents want to donate, there are a number of blood drives scheduled across the North Fork in coming days, starting as soon as Thursday.

• Thursday, Jan. 29 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
North Shore Christian Church on Kroemer Avenue in Riverhead

• Wednesday, Feb. 4 from 2:15 to 8:15 p.m.
Southold Fire Department on Main Road

• Sunday, Feb. 8 from 1 to 3:30 p.m.
St. Isidore’s Elementary School at 515 Marcy Avenue in Riverhead

• Wednesday, Feb. 18 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Suffolk Community College East in Riverhead.
Peconic Building

For more information on these individual blood drives, to schedule an appointment or find out about donation eligibility, visit the organization’s website.