September is National Preparedness Month, a month centered on raising awareness around empowering communities to act proactively. Throughout this month, local, state, and national agencies encourage citizens to plan for potential emergencies and disasters in their homes, businesses, and communities.
At We Are Blood, our work within the Central Texas community focuses on preparedness and resiliency, ensuring there is an adequate blood supply to not only meet the routine transfusion needs of the community but provide emergency care for multiple trauma incidents where moments matter.
Every unit used for a local patient in need starts with a donor: someone who took the time to show up, roll up their sleeve, and give.
Regular Donations are Critical to our Community
We Are Blood requires 200 donations daily to maintain an adequate blood supply and meet local patient needs on a regular, day-to-day basis. However, we experience a decline in donations around holidays, summer months, and winter break. It is during these times that people’s routines change with travel and time off, making it harder to maintain their donation routine.
Our blood supply may also experience significant strain during inclement weather events like ice storms that may close donor centers or mobile blood drives, while also creating dangerous driving conditions that may increase transfusion needs.
By establishing and maintaining a regular blood or platelet donation routine, We Are Blood donors can help secure the Central Texas blood supply, ensuring safe, transfusable blood products are available when disaster strikes.
Austin Strong
In March 2026, the resilience of the greater Austin community was in the national spotlight as our community responded to tragedy. Texans stepped up to donate following the tragic mass casualty shooting on West 6th Street. These donations helped replenish the blood supply used in the immediate aftermath of the shooting and helped meet the continued need of those who required additional transfusions of blood or platelets in their recovery.
The disaster response to this incident was also supported through the ongoing partnership between Austin Travis County EMS and We Are Blood’s Whole Blood Program, including the recent implementation of a Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) Whole Blood Deployment Plan.
Preparedness Starts with You
The availability of whole blood during any emergency depends entirely on a stable, local blood supply.
Make regular blood or platelet donation part of your emergency preparedness plan, not just in September but all year long. Schedule your next appointment!