Carter BloodCare presented a plaque to the Southlake Fire Department this week, making the City of Southlake a member of the 2023 Blood Emergency Readiness Corps. On May 25th, 2023, The Office of Emergency Management coordinated with Carter BloodCare to hold a Blood Emergency Readiness Corps Blood (BERC) Drive at DPS HQ in Southlake. The Blood Emergency Readiness Corps (BERC) was founded in 2021 to help blood providers meet immediate transfusion needs when faced with a large-scale emergency. Through BERC, participating blood centers from across the United States have joined forces to prepare for mass transfusion disasters, ensuring their ability to meet emerging needs without delay or uncertainty. The City was able to coordinate a blood drive that saw 29 donors, collected 22 units of whole blood and four units of red blood cells to supplement Carter BloodCare’s blood reserve, surpassing our goal of 20 units. The City of Southlake is now a member of the BERC for 2023. This ensures Carter BloodCare can meet the needs during a large-scale event such as a mass shooting, natural disaster, or unexpected event that requires blood. The City is on a schedule to host Carter BloodCare every eight weeks, so be on the lookout for the next blood drive and for your chance to save a life.
