Photo By Deylon Douglass | Armed Services Blood Program Fort Bliss Blood Donor Center staff, excited to be...... read more read more
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For the past 40 years, the Fort Bliss Blood Donor Center (BDC) has moved around the installation, yet to find a ‘forever home’. In the 1980s, it was located in Transfusion Services, and then moved into a small building next to the (then) YWCA building. In 1990, the center moved once again, this time to the Troop Medical Clinic (TMC), where they stayed until early 1992. From there, the BDC moved to a building in Lower Beaumont, down the hill from the old William Beaumont Army Medical Center (WBAMC), where they stayed until 2015 when they moved to a renovated building on Ricker Road. In 2022, the BDC and its staff finally moved into a permanent building that they can call their own with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony on August 24. WBAMC Commander Army Col. Brett Venable was the guest speaker for this long-waited event with many from the installation in attendance.
The brand-new state-of-the-art building is located at 11330 SSG Sims, behind the Mendoza Clinic. The 13,200 square foot building boasts four interview rooms, TVs for entertainment during the donation process, a large conference room for leadership meetings and staff huddles, a charging room for all mobile blood drive equipment, and a computer room for the staff to conduct annual training and for the 68,000 students who spend two-week rotations at the BDC. There is also a designated parking spot for the blood mobile to recharge in the evening.
The new BDC is also equipped with digital thermometers to replace disposable ones, blood rockers/scales with segging capabilities built-in, a walk-in fridge which allows for concurrent leukoreduction and refrigeration, and the newest technology, a sterile welder, recently approved by the FDA, extends the shelf life of blood products. The new BDC has also been fitted with the largest capacity blood centrifuges available (holds 64 at once versus 40 now), a blast freezer that can reach a deep freeze of -40 degrees in minutes and offers a unilateral workflow with dedicated work areas which increases efficiency and eliminates distractions.
The Fort Bliss Blood Donor Center collects blood for the Armed Services Blood Program (ASBP), the official blood program of the Department of Defense (DoD). Collected blood goes directly to medical facilities in overseas contingency areas, as well as military hospitals on installations throughout the DoD. The ASBP’s mission to provide quality blood products and support to military healthcare operations worldwide.
This mission can only be accomplished with strong and regular support from volunteer blood donors. Family members, spouses, veterans, and retirees are all strongly encouraged to donate to help support the troops on the frontlines as well as the blood banks at hospitals throughout the DoD. All the blood collected is for the military from the military community.
“In the United States alone, every two seconds, there are patients who need blood,” said Venable. “This mission is of the Armed Services Blood Program is simple: it’s to provide quality blood products and support to the military healthcare operations home and abroad.”
The ribbon cutting ceremony was attended by many within the installation. “We look forward to having everyone come donate with us at our new facility,” said Fort Bliss BDC Chief of Blood Services and Officer-in-Charge Army Capt. Annette Mott. “It’s a life-changing experience for many who are on the receiving end of your donations. So, if you have your health, celebrate it by giving blood to those who are not as fortunate.”
For more information call the donor center 915-742-6365 or e-mail the ASBP Fort Bliss Blood Donor Recruiter at Deylon.a.douglass.civ@mail.mil. You can also reach them on Facebook, @ASBPFortBliss.
About the Armed Services Blood Program
Established in 1952, the Armed Services Blood Program (ASBP) serves as the official blood program for the United States military. As a joint operation within the Defense Health Agency, our mission is to provide quality blood products and support to military health care operations worldwide. The ASBP collects, processes, stores, transports, and distributes blood products to service members, their families, retirees and veterans globally- in peace and war. Our program also works closely with our civilian collection agency counterparts in times of emergencies and need.
To find out more about the ASBP or schedule an appointment to donate, please visit www.militaryblood.dod.mil. To interact directly with ASBP staff members or get the latest news, follow us @militaryblood on Facebook, Twitter and @usmilitaryblood on Instagram.
| Date Taken: | 09.09.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 09.12.2022 08:10 |
| Story ID: | 428899 |
| Location: | FORT BLISS, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 361 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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