It’s been anything but a typical Monday at Kentucky Blood Center. Communications manager Denise Fields tells WUKY lines have grown longer for people wanting to do something meaningful in the wake of the Orlando shootings.
"We've had people come in and say specifically they're here for Orlando. They know the blood is not going to go to Florida but they're doing their part, and it's an easy way to give back to the community," Fields said.
She adds that there's one blood type often in short supply during emergencies:
"When the victims in Orlando went to the hospital they didn't have time to tell have time to type their blood...no one knew their blood type. They needed transfusions immediately, so they got O- blood. Hospitals everywhere need O- blood on the shelves, ready to go and so we are really putting a call out to O- donors especially," Fields said.
Blood centers across Central and Eastern Kentucky will be open their regular hours today. Fields urges donors to be patient as lines have been longer than usual. Additional information is at kybloodcenter.org.
