Lifeguards turn to different life-saving

June Casagrande

Local lifeguards have organized an emergency blood drive today in

response to alarmingly low supplies of blood throughout Southern

California. The supply of O-positive and O-negative blood recently

dipped down to less than a two-day supply.

Blood drives from Ventura to San Diego counties have increased

blood supplies, but much more is needed.

“We organized this grass-roots blood drive really fast, really

last minute, because the county supplies are seriously low,” said

Josh van Egmond, a lifeguard specialist for the city of Newport

Beach. “We’re hoping very much that the community will come out and

support the blood drive.”

Julie Juliusson, communications manager for the American Red Cross

Blood Services, Southern California region, said that the blood

shortage occurred in part because few donors gave blood during the

holidays.

“We usually experience a shortage after the holidays,” Juliusson

said. “And the need for blood is ongoing.”

The lifeguards will begin taking reservations by phone at 7 a.m.

today. Red Cross workers will collect blood from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

for walk-ins and from people with appointments at the main branch of

the Newport Beach Public Library.

“You can save up to three peoples’ lives with every pint of

blood,” Juliusson said. “And it’s not as hard to donate blood as

people think.”