Prepared for Anything: The Importance of a Safe and Available Blood Supply during Disasters and other Critical Events

INTRODUCTION Considering the growing scope of disasters in the United States over the past year, hospital based blood banks and transfusion services are required to have an effective emergency management plan. Disaster Preparedness in the Blood Bank will describe how to address this important public health issue. When there are victims of disasters that require transfusion, a current review of the literature for best practices for responding to hemorrhage will be presented in Managing Massive Transfusions in Diverse Patient Populations in a Non-Metropolitan Area. Bleeding patients often require platelets. In Pathogen reduction in platelets: a review of the proposed draft guidance, the author will discuss the recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidance for the use of pathogen reduction technology to improve the safety of platelet transfusions. Disaster Preparedness in the Blood Bank Over the past year, many Americans witnessed firsthand the importance of having a safe, available blood supply following a disaster. During the first nine months of 2017, the United States experienced 15 disasters that claimed 323 lives; these disasters were the result of weather and climate.1 Floods, freezing temperatures, severe storms, tropical cyclones, and wildfires can all impact blood availability. In the event of a natural disaster, issues may arise in which blood donors do not donate, donor centers may become damaged, or donor centers may not have staffing to perform the processing and testing of blood; all of which, result in a disruption of the local blood supply. Hurricanes can disrupt the blood supply for days. ABBREVIATIONS: FDA - Food and Drug Administration, CBER - The Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, CDC - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, TJC - The Joint Commission, CLSI - the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute, CAP - the College of American Pathologists, TACO - transfusion associated circulatory overload, MTP - massive transfusion protocols, PPH - postpartum hemorrhage, PRT - pathogen reduction technology, PGD - Pan Genera Detection