DAYTON, Ohio - Community Blood Center and partner blood centers across the U.S. are celebrating the one-year anniversary of the Blood Emergency Readiness Corps (BERC), the nation's first emergency blood reserve.
BERC was founded in 2021 by group of seven blood centers who joined together to mutually ensure an adequate blood supply to all members during mass-casualty events or natural disasters that resulted in high blood use.
Blood centers across the nation faced widespread blood shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic. BERC helped ensure blood would always be ready and available when needed without delays and uncertainty.
CBC joined the alliance in April 2022 and in the last year BERC has grown to 33 blood centers in 41 states.
As a BERC member, CBC commits to reserving units of blood on a rotating, "on call" schedule. During a blood center's on-call weeks, the reserve units are ready to be shipped if a critical-need arises within the BERC network.
BERC activations include responses to shootings with multiple victims in Memphis, Tennessee (Sept. 27, 2021), Oxford, Michigan (Dec. 1, 2021), and Uvalde, Texas (May 26, 2022); and in response to widespread damage from tornadoes in Kentucky (Dec. 11, 2021).
In each instance, blood units shipped by BERC members helped supplement the local blood supply in the affected area.
Prior to joining BERC, CBC assisted with blood shipments in response to the Michigan shootings and the Kentucky tornadoes. As a BERC member CBC was placed on alert to provide aid if needed after the Uvalde shootings. CBC has not requested BERC assistance but is confident that help is always available.
"The mission of this alliance is to have each other's back, to use strength in numbers and our union of purpose to meet and defeat any blood emergency head on," said CBC/CTS COO Diane Wilson. "We are proud to be a BERC member. It was a very good decision to join this team, for the sake of emergency victims in our area hospitals and across the country."
Make an appointment to donate with CBC online at www.DonorTime.com, call (937) 461-3220, or download the new Donor Time app.
For additional information on the Blood Emergency Readiness Corps and its members, see www.bloodemergencyreadinesscorps.org.