(WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com) — The Community Blood Bank of NWPA and WNY has announced an urgent need for Type O blood.

The blood bank provides blood and “blood products” to 19 hospitals and seven Stat MedEvac bases. If a patient at any of those sites needs blood, that blood comes from local donors.

“In our region, we are in urgent need of Type O blood because of a recent trauma that had a significant impact on our available inventory,” said Joanne Griebel, hospital services coordinator at Community Blood Bank.

The Erie Donor Center hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. It’s also open 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on the first and third Saturdays of the month.

“We urge healthy individuals to make an appointment to donate blood now and throughout the following weeks. Doing so is essential to the availability of lifesaving blood products in our community,” said Erika DePalma, community relations specialist at Community Blood Bank.

Appointments can be scheduled by calling (814) 456-4206.

Throughout February, donors at Community Blood Bank and the Erie Donor Center could win an all-expense paid cruise. Entry to the cruise began on Feb. 1 and ends at 6 p.m. on Feb. 28. More information about the chance to win a cruise is available online.