The nation's blood supply remains vulnerable after the American Red Cross declared only the second national blood crisis in its history this summer, and Stafford's police and fire departments are trying to help.
The two departments are partnering with Gulf Coast Blood for a blood drive on Friday, Oct. 30, at Stafford City Hall, according to a city announcement. The drive runs from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at 2702 S. Main St.
The timing matters. The Red Cross reported this summer that it had less than a one-day national supply of type O positive blood, the most commonly transfused type. The organization began limiting distributions of type O blood to individual hospitals to keep emergency patients covered.
Blood donations had fallen to a four-year summer low, the Red Cross said. Extreme heat, poor air quality and foodborne illnesses contributed to lower donor turnout. Hospital demand, meanwhile, climbed during summer trauma season.
"Blood donations simply are not keeping pace with hospital demand, and inventories … remain under significant strain," Chris Hrouda, president of Red Cross Biomedical Services, said in a July statement.
January 2022 was the only previous time the Red Cross declared a national blood crisis. The organization put prevention measures in place after that episode, but summer 2026 demand still overwhelmed collections, according to the Red Cross.
By September, the Red Cross said the supply had recovered from its worst levels but called it "vulnerable." The organization urged fall donors of all blood types to help stabilize inventories.
Gulf Coast Blood, the Stafford drive's partner, supplies blood to more than 170 hospitals across 26 counties, Community Impact Newspaper reported. The organization needs about 1,000 donations per day to meet demand across its service area.
Walk-ins are welcome at the Oct. 30 drive, but appointments are preferred. Residents can register online using sponsor code SPD1. No account is required. Every successful donor receives a blanket.
The Red Cross estimated that just three additional donors at each blood drive could stabilize the national supply.
