LANCASTER, Pa. (WHTM) — Lancaster County has a steady blood supply, but this can change at a moment’s notice.

“A single trauma or a single event when all of a sudden we do have an urgent need and a critical need,” said Charles Connon, blood donation recruiter at Lancaster General Health.

On world blood donor day, a reminder about the need for a safe and steady supply.

“Blood supply and blood demand is a global thing. It’s interconnected and from a small community blood bank that we have to something larger. It is a global network and global effort,” Charles Connon said.

The pandemic hit blood banks hard. The American Red Cross declared its first “blood crisis ever” earlier this year. Now, it looks like the county is headed in a better direction. 

“During the summer time we kind of have fewer donors. There is no high schools, so people are traveling. People have other plans and we are also not able to use some of the spaces , which are often big driver of our blood collections,” Connon added.

Lancaster General Health collects blood at its donor center at the Suburban Pavilion and does several weekly mobile drives. It all depends on community participation.

“It’s like a ripple effect. By ensuring that we have an adequate blood supply some of the bigger regional banks can direct their efforts where it’s really need,” he added.

For list of blood donation locations, visit Blood Donor Center at Lancaster General Health – Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health.