The shelves at Lubbock's United Blood Services were full Monday, but that wasn't the case just a few days ago.
"We were asked to help and we immediately sent all the O-, A- and all the platelets we had here," Les Long with United Blood Services said.
After Thursday's deadly train crash in Midland, there was a sudden demand for blood at the local hospital there.
So United Blood Services donated between 100 and 200 pints of blood to the cause, but that left our local shelves a little bare.
Long said United Blood Services gives more than 100 pints of blood to University Medical Center and Covenant Hospitals everyday.
With Midland's added request, Long was forced to call on our community for help.
Kelly Gass answered that call.
He donated blood for Midland Monday, but it wasn't his first time sitting in that chair.
"We all need to support each other and we just need to contribute," Gass said.
Becki Perkins sat just a few chairs down from Gass.
She answered the question most non-donors want to know: Does giving blood hurt?
"No, not at all, I mean there's a slight needle prick, but other than that I feel fine and I feel great afterwards," Perkins said.
"I guess the thing for all of us to learn from any situation like this is how very important it is for people to donate on a regular basis, so that we have the inventory ready to be able to respond to anything that could happen," Long added.
If you've never given blood, it takes less than one hour.
You must be at least 16-years-old and weigh at least 110 pounds.
You must also be in good health.
"We were asked to help and we immediately sent all the O-, A- and all the platelets we had here," Les Long with United Blood Services said.
After Thursday's deadly train crash in Midland, there was a sudden demand for blood at the local hospital there.
So United Blood Services donated between 100 and 200 pints of blood to the cause, but that left our local shelves a little bare.
Long said United Blood Services gives more than 100 pints of blood to University Medical Center and Covenant Hospitals everyday.
With Midland's added request, Long was forced to call on our community for help.
Kelly Gass answered that call.
He donated blood for Midland Monday, but it wasn't his first time sitting in that chair.
"We all need to support each other and we just need to contribute," Gass said.
Becki Perkins sat just a few chairs down from Gass.
She answered the question most non-donors want to know: Does giving blood hurt?
"No, not at all, I mean there's a slight needle prick, but other than that I feel fine and I feel great afterwards," Perkins said.
"I guess the thing for all of us to learn from any situation like this is how very important it is for people to donate on a regular basis, so that we have the inventory ready to be able to respond to anything that could happen," Long added.
If you've never given blood, it takes less than one hour.
You must be at least 16-years-old and weigh at least 110 pounds.
You must also be in good health.
