Alaska's only blood bank is critically short of O and AB blood; six centers are taking donors

Alaska's only blood bank says it is critically short of four blood types, O positive, O negative, AB positive and AB negative, and needs about 700 donors a week. Blood Bank of Alaska posted the shortage Wednesday, a day after Gov. Mike Dunleavy proclaimed Sept. 1-7 Alaska Blood Donation Week.

The blood bank serves 21 hospitals, including military and Alaska Native facilities. It says one in seven hospital patients needs blood, and platelets, the clotting cells, expire after five days, so the supply has to be replaced continuously. The proclamation notes that "although most of the population is eligible to donate blood, only two percent of Alaskans donate blood annually."

Six donation centers operate in five communities. Appointments at the two Anchorage centers, 1215 Airport Heights and 8920 Old Seward Hwy, and at the Kenai center, which is in Soldotna, are booked on 907-222-5630. Wasilla is 907-357-5555, Fairbanks 907-456-5645 and Juneau 907-222-5680. The blood bank asks donors without an appointment to call and confirm hours, and to bring photo ID.