Miller-Keystone Blood Center

Urgent need for Type O positive blood donors

Miller-Keystone Blood Center recently issued an urgent appeal for donors with Type O positive blood.

“A critical trauma took place in our region and the patient is currently being treated at one of our local hospitals,” Qiana Cressman, executive director of donor operations, explained.

“The individual has already received more than 50 units of blood, as well as plasma and platelets, and it is anticipated that they will require additional transfusions in the coming days.”

Cressman noted blood supply was already at critical levels prior to this recent trauma.

“Blood supplies typically decrease in the summer, as family vacations, accidents and seasonal illnesses, combined with school vacations, often prevent people from donating blood,” Cressman said, adding the COVID-19 pandemic added an additional layer of challenges during the past few months.

“The COVID-19 pandemic forced the blood center to cancel several hundred drives, resulting in the loss of more than 10,000 blood donations between March and July,” Cressman confirmed.

“It also required us to move to an appointment-only policy in order to accommodate current social distancing recommendations,” Cressman continued.

“While blood donations traditionally decrease in the summer, we usually anticipate an uptick beginning in September when our regional high schools and colleges are back in session. However, with many schools adopting online or hybrid models for the upcoming school year, we have been notified by many of these institutions that they will be unable to host blood drives for the foreseeable future,” Cressman said.

“More than 450 donors are needed every day in our community to help in the care of cancer patients, accident victims, premature infants and others requiring lifesaving transfusions at our regional hospitals,” Holly Yacynych, marketing manager for Miller-Keystone Blood Center, said.

“While the loss of blood drives at regional businesses, as well as high schools and colleges, has caused a decrease in our community blood supply, the demand at our hospitals remains steady,” Yacynych continued.

“We would just like to remind people that blood cannot be manufactured. It can only come from the kind generosity of volunteer blood donors. If there is ever a time to donate, now is that time.”

To donate, individuals must be 16 years of age or older, weigh a minimum of 110 pounds and be feeling healthy; they must not have donated in the past eight weeks. All donors must also provide valid identification. Parental consent is required for donors who are 16 years old.

For more information or to schedule a donation, call 1-800-B-A-DONOR (223-6667). While donors can also visit GIVEaPINT.org to schedule an appointment online, donors are encouraged to call the blood center as special accommodations have been made to accept additional donors with Type O positive blood.

Pennsylvania State Police

Citizens Police Academy announced

The Pennsylvania State Police Troop M – Bethlehem announced plans for a Citizens Police Academy Oct. 13 to Nov. 24 at the Troop M Bethlehem headquarters, 2930 Airport Road, Bethlehem.

The program exposes participants to the types of training received by police officers and expands their knowledge of general police practices by providing a forum of interaction between members of the Pennsylvania State Police and participants.

Applications are available in the lobby of the Bethlehem barracks or interested applicants can send an email to Trooper Nathan Branosky at nbranosky@pa.gov.

All applications are due by Oct. 1.