Blood Assurance and BERC: Building a Lifeline for Mass Trauma Events
As communities grapple with mass trauma events such as natural disasters, large-scale car crashes, and mass shootings, the question of "how prepared are we?" becomes increasingly urgent. Traditional methods of maintaining an adequate blood supply are not enough, especially in a post-COVID world. Blood Assurance has joined hands with BERC—Blood Emergency Readiness Corps - to address this issue. Read on to discover how Blood Assurance is teaming up with BERC to create a supply of blood, ready to serve in times of emergency, and how you can contribute to this lifesaving mission.
I. Understanding BERC: The Blood Emergency Readiness Corps
BERC is a unique group of blood centers from across the nation committed to preparing for mass transfusion emergencies. By collecting extra units on a rotating "on-call" schedule, BERC aims to establish a ready pool of blood that can be tapped into during disasters, thereby preventing delays and potentially saving more lives. This proactive approach serves as a safeguard against the vulnerabilities in the traditional blood supply chain, which has been strained in the post-COVID era. By ensuring that a ready supply of blood is always available, BERC enhances the resilience of healthcare systems and communities, providing an invaluable safety net in times of crisis.
II. Why Blood Assurance Is Part of BERC
Blood Assurance recognizes the crucial role of blood in emergency medical care. By joining BERC, we ensure not just that we can contribute to the national emergency blood supply, but also that our community will have ready access to the blood it may urgently need.
Blood Assurance takes part in a rotating schedule with other blood centers to collect additional units. This ensures that the responsibility for keeping a reserve supply is shared, and also makes the system flexible and quick to respond.
III. How You Can Help Us Be Prepared
Community participation is paramount in ensuring the success of this initiative. Donors can make a significant impact by donating during our rotation weeks. Additionally, organizations can host blood drives to assist us in meeting our collection goals.
Hosting a blood drive with Blood Assurance is a meaningful way to give back to the community and often serves as a tribute to honor loved ones. Every year, thousands of drives are made possible through community participation. Whether you're a company or an individual, you have two convenient options to host a drive: either have our bloodmobile come to a location of your choosing, or partner with a nearby donor center to host the event. The bloodmobile offers flexible placement, ensuring an accessible and convenient experience for all donors. To schedule a drive today contact :
Carol Cooke
Director of Donor Recruitment in Middle TN & KY
615-917-0663
Your contribution helps maintain a vital blood supply for local patients in need.
IV. The Bigger Picture: Fostering Community Resilience
While Blood Assurance and BERC focus on disaster preparedness, the benefits echo throughout the community, fostering a culture of proactive responsibility. By supporting Blood Assurance and BERC, you contribute to building a stronger, more resilient community that's prepared to face challenges head-on.
Blood Assurance’s collaboration with BERC is a testament to our commitment to safeguard communities during mass trauma events. By knowing the schedule and contributing through donations or organizing blood drives, you're not just giving blood; you're giving communities hope.