NEW ORLEANS – Blood donors are needed after Hurricane Barry halted blood collections and left a significantly depleted inventory of blood and blood components for area patients last week.

Flooding throughout New Orleans on Wednesday hampered collections, while evacuations caused rescheduling of Friday blood drives.

The Blood Center operates 12 donor centers across Southeast Louisiana and Mississippi. Donors can call (800) 86-BLOOD or visit TheBloodCenter.org for center locations and hours.

The Blood Center is no longer located on Belle Terre Boulevard in LaPlace, but St. John the Baptist Parish residents are still encouraged to schedule appointments.

Public Relations Manager Paul Adams said losing several days of collections severely impacts the ability to meet regional hospitalized patient demands for blood and blood components.

“Medical procedures don’t stop due to adverse weather conditions, and patients requiring blood transfusions rely on donors to maintain a healthy blood supply,” Adams said. “We need our community to give today. All eligible residents should donate now so we can meet transfusion related demands of patients throughout Southern Louisiana and Mississippi.”

Blood collection organizations in other areas of the country assisted The Blood Center with area hospital needs, but the local community makes the greatest impact in preventing area blood supply shortages, according to The Blood Center.

In order to maintain a healthy and stable community blood supply, The Blood Center must collect between 300 to 350 pints of blood every day.

According to a press release from The Blood Center, donating blood is “safe, simple and takes less than an hour.” Just one pint can help save up to three lives.

About 60% of the population is eligible to donate blood, but only 5% actually do. Donors must be in good health, weigh a minimum of 110 pounds and be at least 17 years of age (or 130 pounds and 16 with a signed parental consent form) to donate blood.

The Blood Center is a non-profit community service organization dedicated to providing blood and blood components to patients throughout Southern Louisiana and Southern Mississippi. For more information, find The Blood Center on social media at @TheBloodCenter.