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Breaking News: Attacks on American Soil
With Bill Blaul
American Red Cross
Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001; 6 p.m. EDT
In a horrific sequence of destruction, terrorists crashed two planes into the World Trade Center and the twin 110-story towers collapsed Tuesday morning. Explosions also rocked the Pentagon, packing hospitals with wounded in New York and Washington, D.C. Both cities are experiencing blood shortages and are in need of volunteers to donate.
Bill Blaul, senior vice president of communications and marketing for The American Red Cross, will be online Tuesday, Sept. 11 at 6 p.m. EDT to discuss how, where and when to donate blood and other relief efforts being coordinated by the Red Cross.
Submit your questions and comments before or during the discussion.
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washingtonpost.com:
Mr. Blaul, thank you for joining us online. How is the Red Cross involved in relief efforts at this point?
Bill Blaul: As with any trying time throughout American history, the American public have responded overwhelmingly to enable the Red Cross to provide immediate humanitarian assistance. As I speak, hundreds of units of blood and blood products are being rushed to our blood facilities in Baltimore and Philadelphia and from there they are being distributed to hospitals in New York, New Jersey and the Washington, D.C. area.
We do encourage people to donate blood. The number to call is 1-800-GIVE-LIFE. Please be patient when doing so. We've received over 700,000 calls to the hotline today alone and we want to give everybody the opportunity. If you can't get through today, please try tomorrow or the day after.
Also, the Red Cross -- this is unprecedented -- all of our 1,000 chapters nationwide are providing assistance to stranded travellers at airports. We have mobilized our networks and are providing food and beverages to victims and the EMS workers in New York, Washington and Somerset County, Pa.
Of course, this is many times worse than Oklahoma City and we know what everyone went through there. This isn't going to be over tonight or tomorrow.
Washington, D.C.:
Where can I donate and have special hours and/or locations been set up to allow volunteers to donate?
Bill Blaul: Yes. We are extending blood donation hours at many collection sites. Again, I would point to 1-800-GIVE-LIFE. Please be patient. We are staffing up to be able to collect all the blood we can. Please do not give up.
One of our collection centers downtown -- on Eye Street -- was evacuated earlier. It's now back online.
Arlington, Va.:
Are there certain kinds of blood that are more urgently needed in emergencies than others? For example, is it better to have more of rare blood types or "universal" blood types?
Bill Blaul: Yes, universal would be the O blood types and people who have type O blood -- we especially encourage them to donate.
And by the way, when somoeone donates blood, we obtain red cells from that blood. That same unit produces platelets, as well as other blood products -- albumin and plasma. The latter three we have already shipped many units of those to New York to treat burn victims. So, we are encouraging everyone to donate blood, but especially those with type O.
Bill Blaul: We also shipped blood to Walter Reed.
Frederick, Md.:
I tried to get through to the Red Cross using 1-800-GIVE-LIFE several times today. I assume you're swamped and can't handle any more donations at this point?
Bill Blaul: We have received more than 700,000 calls today. We apologize that we haven't been able to handle all the calls. But we know Americans are as patient as they are generous, so please keep trying. We'll need the blood tomorrow, next week and next month.
Bill Blaul: We've gotten through 68,000 calls so far. The average call volume is between two and three thousand a day.
Washington, D.C.:
Was there a blood shortage before these disasters happened?
Bill Blaul: The American Red Cross believes that when we have three days worth of inventory and that is considered good than when you think about that for a second it's not so good because of situations like today. We could very easily wipe out the entire inventory -- not that that's happened, but yes, blood is always in short supply.
Luckily, we'd increased donations by 8 percent this summer over last. We have to have more in stock and ready to deliver.
washingtonpost.com:
Is anyone limited to donating? People with tattoos, for instance?
Bill Blaul: Yes, if you've received a tattoo, you're deferred one year from the date you received the tattoo. And regarding surgeries, yes, there are certain procedures -- people who've received cancer treatments can't donate. The blood center asks upwards of 90 questions from each donor.
BUt please try and if you're unable to, come out and volunteer or recruit a family member or a friend.
Woodbridge, Va.:
Can I just go to my local hospital here in Woodbridge to give blood?
Bill Blaul: Some can. Some hospitals do accept blood donations. In other words, some have their own collection centers. You'd have to call the hospital itself and see.
I also want to make note that two other sources to check would be the web site for America's Blood Centers: www.americasblood.org and our trade association, www.aabb.org. Both of those, especially for D.C., are good because the offer many alternatives around the area. We're not the only blood collection agency. We just want you to donate.
Bluemont, Va.:
What else do they need help with besides blood donations?
Bill Blaul: We could use some financial donations. OUr national, before these disasters struck, our national disaster relief fund stood at $34 million and that is entering the busiest part of hurricane season. We typically like to have a reserve of $50 million. We will know more figures later tonight in terms of how much money we'll need to raise.
But we could use donations. The number is 1-800-HELP-NOW. Or visit our Web site at www.redcross.org.
I would encourage anyone who wishes to volunteer to call their local chapter. You can find it in the phone book under American Red Cross.
Annandale, Va.:
Will INOVA or the Red Cross be setting up satellite blood donations centers (off hospital grounds)in the next day or two? If yes, where? My husband and I are anxious to donate but it sounds like the hospital-based sites are over-crowded.
Bill Blaul: I'm sure both will be activating more mobile collection sites or staffing up our fixed sites.
Please be patient and persistent because the need for blood is going to continue for several days, if not weeks... not just for the victims of today's activities, but other victims of accidents nationwide.
Clearwater, Fla.:
Family member in the World Trade Center. How can we find status of survivor lists?
Please help
Bill Blaul: What I can suggest is that the Red Cross does operate a family well being inquiry system. All Red Cross chapters nationwide have been provided information to initiate inquiries to find loved ones. I would recommend that you look up the closest Red Cross chapter. This is an emergency, so ask them to initiate an inquiry right away.
This is a traumatic situation on many levels so it's likely to take a few days to ascertain those who are injured, missing and confirmed to have died.
Bluemont, Va.:
I am 16 and would like to donate blood. Is that allowed or do I need to be 18?
Bill Blaul: Unfortunately, you need to be 17, but I'd encourage you to contact your local chapter because I bet they need help with phones and local airports and I bet the chapter could use some good young, enthusiastic help.
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada:
What can we do to help from Canada?
Bill Blaul: Frankly, you could make a financial donation as I stated above to 1-800-HELP-NOW. That would be the most effective thing that people in other countries can do to help at this time. Every dollar helps -- Canadian or American. And again, www.redcross.org, will allow you to donate via the Internet.
That's very kind, because Nova Scotia has certainly known disaster.
Washington, D.C.:
I tried to get through like everyone else to find out where to donate. Did you say that the I Street office was the place to give?
I was just going to head down there.
Bill Blaul: I would recommend waiting until tomorrow for the I street center -- which opens as early as 6:30 a.m. Tonight people are lined up up the street. Stop by early tomorrow morning and if they can take you, they will.
Bill Blaul: We are also looking for licensed phlebotomists to help draw blood. E-mail me directy at blaulb@usa.redcross.org and I will get you into the system.
Manhattan, New York City, N.Y.:
Is it helpful at this stage for us to encourage friends and relatives in other parts of the country to donate blood as well?
Bill Blaul: Yes. It would be helpful to encourage them to donate time, blood and money. I'd encourage them to volunteer with their local chapters because many are dispatching personnel left and right. We need blood -- not just the Red Cross. Check Americas Blood Centers also. Again, financial donations are very much appreciated. We will incur expenses shipping the blood and mobilizing disaster relief folks. Including mental health counseling to the scenes. We have several thousand trained mental health workers. It's our most rapidly growing disaster service... helping people emotionally heal. Especially in air disasters, but in this kind of disaster as well. Not just on a spot basis, but to help people recover over the longterm. THis is for victims, family members and especially the EMS people on the scene. We learned a lot from Oklahoma City. It means a lot to these folks to have someone there to put their arm around a firefighter who's seen some terrible things.
Bill Blaul: On behalf of the American Red Cross I want to thank the American people for this outpouring of support. Thank you.
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