LifeSouth Community Blood Centers are in need of all blood types.  After last Friday’s declaration of an emergency blood shortage, donors’ response to the news across the region has been encouraging; however, the blood inventory continues to hover at emergency levels.

LifeSouth urges all eligible donors who are feeling healthy to come out and support their communities by donating blood as soon as possible. Donors must be 17 or older, or 16 with parental permission, weigh a minimum of 110 pounds and be in good health. A photo ID is also required.

LifeSouth is hosting a blood drive in Troy today:

• Walmart of Troy from 11 a.m.

LifeSouth Community Blood Centers are in need of all blood types.  After last Friday’s declaration of an emergency blood shortage, donors’ response to the news across the region has been encouraging; however, the blood inventory continues to hover at emergency levels.

LifeSouth urges all eligible donors who are feeling healthy to come out and support their communities by donating blood as soon as possible. Donors must be 17 or older, or 16 with parental permission, weigh a minimum of 110 pounds and be in good health. A photo ID is also required.

LifeSouth is hosting a blood drive in Troy today:

• Troy Cable from 10 a.m.

A cold front moving through the Southeast that is predicted to bring snow to major portions of Alabama and Georgia is also expected to further impact a blood shortage across the region.

Galen Unold, director of donor recruitment and retention with LifeSouth Community Blood Centers, says the cold front and snow will mean blood drives in many affected communities could be canceled.

“This is coming at a time when supplies were already low because of reduced donations during the winter holidays,” Unold said. “Meanwhile, blood usage at many of our hospitals is far above normal, making the shortage even more serious.”

Unold said all blood types are needed, but blood types AB-positive and negative, and O-negative are in shortest supply. He said all the LifeSouth donor centers expect to be open on Friday, and where possible the bloodmobiles will be available for donors.