If you have the misfortune of being on call when a disaster occurs, you may be called in to help. You may also be contacted by other lab divisions as well as the blood bank lab. Generally, in case of disaster, all available hands are called in, so you might contact other residents for help. Make sure blood bank faculty also know about the situation.
Blood collection.
We know from past experience (two Delta plane crashes at DFW airport)
that the community immediately flocks to our doors to donate blood
upon hearing about a disaster. PMH no longer operates a blood donor
center. However, donors may still show up. Refer them to the main
BloodCare location or one of the satellite sites (see appendix 9 in
paper supplement for locations and hours of operation).
Disasters elsewhere. If you are asked to make arrangements to send blood to another part of the country or world, please remember first of all that PMH blood bank does not have an FDA license. This means that we cannot routinely ship blood over state lines or to other countries. Therefore, in most cases, we cannot help out in times of disaster elsewhere. You can reassure your caller that the state of Texas overall will pitch in to help as much as they are able, and you can give them the phone number for Bloodcare who does have a license, if you desire. Their number is 214/351-8611.
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