By Katie Knapp Schubert
Omaha, NE – The American Red Cross' new blood donor call center has opened in Sarpy County.
National CEO Gail McGovern visited the call center, located on Chalco Valley Parkway, Friday afternoon. 125 people will work at the call center, scheduling appointments for blood donations. McGovern says Omaha was chosen for a call center because of its central location. The other two are in Tucson, Arizona and Charlotte, North Carolina.
The American Red Cross Heartland Chapter handles more than 140,000 blood donations each year. Nationally, the American Red Cross is responsible for about half of the nation's blood supply. Seven million blood donations are made each year.
McGovern says the Red Cross responds to 70,000 disasters a year nationwide. Locally, the Heartland Chapter responds to an average of one disaster every day.