DAYTON, Ohio – Solvita has answered the call to send an emergency supply of type O negative blood to North Texas to aid victims of the deadly tornado outbreak during the Memorial Day weekend.
The national Blood Emergency Readiness Corps (BERC) was activated to send blood to Carter BloodCare, the local blood provider for hospitals in North Texas, after a tornado ripped through the area Saturday night, killing at least seven people, and injuring more than 80.
Solvita is a BERC member and is obligated to assist. Solvita is one of 11 BERC member blood centers who were on call during the holiday weekend and have rushed type O negative blood to the region.
Solvita is in critical need of multiple blood types, including type O and B blood due to high hospital usage and interrupted collections during the holiday period. Type O and B blood is at less than two day supply and Solvita cannot completely fill all hospital orders. Without the immediate help of more blood donations, the supply is expected to worsen.
Schedule an appointment to donate on the Donor Time app, by calling (937) 461-3220, or at www.donortime.com.
Walk-ins are welcome at the Solvita Dayton center, 349 S. Main St. Everyone who registers to donate at the Solvita Dayton Center now through June 1 can choose between a free Kings Island e-ticket or a $15 e-gift card.
“Our BERC network was activated to help our partner blood center, Carter BloodCare, meet the needs of trauma patients at local hospitals in north Texas,” said Nelson Hellwig, CEO of the Alliance for Community Transfusion Services, and administrator of the BERC Program.
BERC was founded in 2021 by a group of blood centers to ensure an adequate blood supply to all members during mass-casualty events or natural disasters that resulted in high blood use.
Solvita (formerly Community Blood Center) joined the alliance in April 2022. BERC now has 36 member blood centers.
Sunday’s activation marks the sixth time since that the BERC network has been called upon to provide blood during a national emergency. The last BERC activation was in June 2023 in response to a destructive and deadly tornado in Perryton, Texas.