EASTHAMPTON — One blood donation takes about an hour out of a donor’s day, yet it has the ability to save the lives of up to three patients. But blood donations tend to slow down in the summer — people get busy, and they’re usually thinking about their upcoming vacation instead of what’s flowing through their veins. That drop in donations can cause widespread blood shortages, and it’s causing one right now. 

Responding to the current shortage of blood in Massachusetts, the Easthampton Fire Department has scheduled a community blood drive for Tuesday in partnership with the Baystate Health Blood Donor Program. The drive gives eligible donors in Easthampton and beyond the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of patients in need, and allows the Baystate donor program a chance to get back out into the community after the pandemic-era discontinuation of their mobile blood donation center made hosting these drives more challenging. 

“It seems like over the years, there have been limited opportunities for blood drives,” said Easthampton Fire Chief Christopher Norris, who has been donating blood for over 25 years. “Just by giving one pint of blood, you could have a considerable impact and save multiple lives.”

When responding to calls, Norris said that he and his team often see firsthand the need for blood products not only in hospitals, but at the scene. He expressed excitement about a pilot program in Canton through which firefighters deliver blood transfusions on site. While the program requires additional training, supplies and licensing for fire departments, Norris believes that these pre-hospital blood transfusions will become “more frequent throughout the state.”

For programs like this to be successful, blood supplies must be bountiful, which can pose a challenge. Aside from seasonal declines in donations, there are many factors that can prevent willing donors from being able to give blood such as illness, lack of opportunity and even recent tattoos or piercings. 

Catherine Reed, the interim executive director of operations at Cooley Dickinson Hospital, said that the pre-donation screening questions that come as a surprise to most potential donors are those asking whether they’ve gotten a new tattoo or piercing in the past few months, or whether they take certain medications that could make them ineligible to donate. However, she also noted that the screening questions are standardized, so anyone interested in donating who isn’t sure of their eligibility can call a local donation center and ask to “preview” the questions. 

At the donation site, potential donors also have their hemoglobin levels tested to make sure it is safe for them to donate. 

The pre-donation screening process may seem rigorous, but most of those who show up to blood drives are usually eligible to donate. At a blood drive hosted by Cooley Dickinson Hospital in August, Reed said that about 124 units were able to be collected from a pool of roughly 160 appointments. 

Offering opportunities for community members to donate blood, such as the upcoming Easthampton blood drive, has been a priority for local health care centers. Many “bloodmobiles” ceased to operate during the COVID-19 pandemic due to their close quarters and other factors, which has made blood drives more challenging in some instances. 

Cooley Dickinson Hospital still regularly hosts bloodmobile drives in partnership with the Dana-farber Cancer Institute, Brigham & Women’s Hospital and The Kraft Family Blood Donor Center, but others have had to re-imagine what their blood drives look like. 

The Baystate Health Blood Donor Program has been seeking collaborations with hosts, like the Easthampton Fire Department, that have the space to host blood drives now that they no longer have a bloodmobile available. 

Nicole VanZandt, supervisor of BRL transfusion medicine and blood donor services at Baystate Health, was disheartened when her team was unable to continue hosting blood drives for some time. This year, VanZandt has been working to get blood drives back up to full speed in local communities through partnerships with businesses, schools, municipal departments and more.

“We’re trying to get back out in the community and re-forge those connections when it comes to blood donations,” she said. “I think people still want to donate, but a lot of times they don’t have the space to host us.”

The Easthampton Fire Department does have the space, which presented VanZandt and her colleagues with an exciting opportunity to bolster the community’s blood supply. VanZandt emphasized that the blood collected at Baystate’s community drives “stays within the local community” which is a source of pride for her. 

Both Cooley Dickinson Hospital and Baystate Health have still been able to get patients the blood they need in the midst of these shortages, which are common in the industry. Reed said that Cooley Dickinson rarely feels the sting of such shortages because they are part of the broader Mass General Brigham system and, like Baystate, much of their blood supply comes from the American Red Cross. 

For VanZandt though, the shortage has still been noticeable. 

“We are supplementing our supply with other sources due to the lesser amount of donors who are presenting to the donor center,” she said, emphasizing that less than 5% of the eligible population donates blood. 

According to The Kraft Family Blood Donor Center, more than 90% of the population will need blood in their lifetime. 

Strong donation numbers are important year-round, because blood is perishable. As VanZandt explained, blood is composed of live cells, and remains “good” for up to 42 days. Still, she said that it is rare to have to dispose of expired blood because of the widespread need for it.

The Easthampton Fire Department blood drive, which will take place from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Easthampton Fire Station, is one opportunity for donors to help address that need. Appointments can be scheduled in advance by calling 413-794-4600, but walk-ins are also welcome. 

“I hope donors understand that we would love to have them donate wherever there’s a drive available,” said Reed, who added that it is “not uncommon” for blood products to be sent throughout the Pioneer Valley from local drives. “We’re all a tight-knit community.”

Alexa Lewis can be reached at alewis@gazettenet.com.