FRANKLIN, Tenn. (WTVF) — Many businesses are starting to open back up after closing due to the winter weather on Friday and Saturday.
For some blood donation centers, the storm meant far fewer donors coming through the doors.
“Blood is one medicine that you cannot create in a lab. There is no alternative for it. There's no other source for it, other than willing donors,” said Brooke Katz, with Blood Assurance.
Blood Assurance in Franklin and other locations in our region were open bright and early Sunday for special emergency hours.
"I saw online that they were closed and I just called just to see if they happen to be open,” said Juliana LeGrand, a blood donor in Franklin.
LeGrand stopped by to give a direct donation for a friend.
“They’re about to have a baby, so just in case they end up needing blood,” LeGrand said.
If her friend doesn't need that blood, it will go to someone else who does in middle Tennessee.
During this week's storm, many Blood Assurance locations had to close or offer limited hours.
According to Katz, Blood Assurance needs about 540 donors every day just to keep up with the demand right now.
"We are the supplier for almost all of the local hospitals here, and for those that we're not the primary supplier, we're the secondary supplier,” Katz said.
Between the closures, and people having to stay home in the weather, Blood Assurance is having to push even harder and offer extra hours to keep up.
Blood Assurance is a nonprofit that doesn’t pay for donations, but they do offer incentives including t-shirts for people who choose to give.
Katz said this time of year, the icy roads can make the donations especially important.
"We do tend to see more things like car accidents out on the roads," Katz said. "One single car accident can wipe out 20 units of blood, so one whole blood drive could end up going to one person.”
For more information on donating to Blood Assurance, click here.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at robb.coles@newschannel5.com.
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