PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Volunteers are urgently needed to transport blood for the American Red Cross in Southeastern Pennsylvania and South Jersey. The role is a critical link between blood donors and blood recipients.
The Red Cross is in constant need of financial donations, blood donors and volunteers, and this time of year brings more blood drives than the norm.
“We are hosting more operations now that high schools and colleges are back in session,” said Guy Triano, regional CEO for the American Red Cross in Southeastern Pennsylvania.
“90% of our workforce are volunteers.”
With around 25 to 30 daily blood drives in the area, and drives happening on Saturday and Sunday as well, he said there is a special need for volunteers to join the blood transport team.
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“It’s two important assignments,” he explained.
“One of them is to transport blood that is collected from our blood drives, and bring it back to our lab in Philadelphia which is on Seventh and Spring Garden (streets). The other is to pick up blood at our lab at Seventh and Spring Garden and deliver it to local hospitals that need blood.”
Blood transportation specialist volunteers are asked to fill two to four shifts each month. Each one typically takes about four hours to complete.
Volunteers will need to have a valid driver's license, and have experience driving for at least three years.
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“They can choose different routes,” Triano said.
“Some of the positions, they will be able to use a Red Cross vehicle to transport the blood products. In some of the positions, they will be asked to use their own personal vehicle.”
The Red Cross said they will provide training, but they ask volunteers to be familiar with the area and to be able to lift 45 pounds.
Red Cross Shelter Services, Disaster Action Services and Disaster Health Services teams also need volunteers.
You can find out more information at redcross.org/volunteertoday.