Hospital Services

Blood shelves – red blood cells

• Shelf life 42 days
• Stored refrigerated
• Common uses: Replace for blood loss (surgery/accidents), Fight anemia & Pregnant women and babies

Blood freezer – plasma

• Shelf life is one year
• Frozen 
• Common uses: Internal bleeding (provides clotting support), Shock patients & Burn patients

Incubators – platelets

• Shelf life is 5 to 7 days
• Stored at room temperature
• Constantly agitated to keep them from sticking together (like scabs)
• Common uses: Cancer patients, Organ transplant & Blood disorders

Blood packing

• Box maintains temperature for 24 hours

Distribution

• Hospital orders on screen - see top maps
• Green (8 hours to fill) – routine stock order
• Yellow (4 hours to fill) – scheduled surgery
• Red (2 hours to fill) – emergency need

Drivers are tracked - see bottom maps

Flights for life

• Established in 1981 to help Vitalant deliver and pickup blood
• 125 volunteer pilots (donate planes, fuel and time)