LEWISTON – The American Red Cross is urging all eligible donors in Maine to give blood to boost a low supply severely diminished by recent storms and flooding coupled with the long Fourth of July holiday weekend.

“We have lost hundreds of potential blood donations over the last few weeks due to severe weather,” said Dawn Gaffka, donor recruitment manager for Red Cross Blood Services in Maine.

A blood drive was canceled this week because of a storm-related power outage in Greenville, Gaffka said. “Those 60 units could have contributed to saving the lives of 180 people.”

Due to falling blood inventories, the Red Cross has recently had to cut standing orders to hospitals throughout New England, she said.

The cutbacks have come at a time when summer collections typically decline by 10 to 15 percent, especially around the Fourth of July holiday.

As of July 11, the New England Red Cross Blood Services Region’s inventory shows five blood types below a one-day supply: O-positive, O-negative, A-positive, A-negative and B-negative. Additionally, B-positive and AB-negative blood reserves are at only a day-and-a-half day supply. The American Red Cross requires a three-day supply to be considered safe.

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