United Blood Services encouraging residents to donate blood for flood victims

PINE BELT, Miss. - United Blood Services (UBS) is encouraging residents to donate blood for those affected by the Louisiana and Southwest Mississippi floods.

UBS Recruiter Beverly Clark said, "Right now Louisiana has had to cancel over 300 units of blood drives and that number is going to increase every day with all of the cancellations."

The organization recently declared an emergency appeal and reserves of blood are depleted to a less than one day supply on the shelves.

UBS said it takes 24 to 36 hours to test and process each donation before it can be released for a patient, blood is being transfused as fast as United Blood Services can provide it to hospitals.

Here is a list of all blood drives in the Pine Belt area this week:

Wednesday, August 17: Forrest General Hospital 7 A.M - 7 P.M

Thursday, August 18: Pine Grove Recovery Center 6:30 A.M - 11 A.M

Friday, August 19: Ellisville State School 8:30 A.M - 3:30 P.M

Saturday, August 20: St. John National Baptist Church Columbia 10 A.M - 3 P.M

Sunday, August 21: Corinth Baptist Church Nicholson 12:30 P.M - 4 P.M

Sunday, August 21: Moss First Church of God Moss 11:00 A.M - 2:30 P.M