The American Red Cross is out for blood, specifically Types A, B and O.

The Red Cross says new Red Cross donors declined by about 80,000 per year leading to a desperate need.

“Every two seconds, someone in the United States needs blood,” said Debbie Smith, community executive for the Ohio River Valley Red Cross, which collects blood donations in Lawrence Scioto, Pike, and Jackson counties. “Obviously, thanks to our generous donors who donate blood. They are saving lives.”

She is an O blood donor herself.

“So, I know the importance of the need for blood donations,” she said.

Smith said that last year, the local Red Cross collected around 5,000 units in 150 blood drives in their six-county region.

“That means they helped save 15,000 people,” she said.

The Red Cross is currently in dire need of Types A, B and O.

To that end, they will be having several blood drives in the area, including the following times and locations

• Today, 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., King’s Daughters Urgent Care-Ironton, 912 Park Avenue, Ironton. Call 740-532-1100 to schedule an appointment

• June 22, 9 a.m.–2 p.m., Community Justice Center, 4696 Gallia Pike, Franklin Furnace. Call 740-354-9026 to schedule and appointment

• June 27, 11 a.m.–4 p.m., Heartland of Riverview, 7743 County Road 1, South Point. Call 740-894-3287 to schedule an appointment

• June 29, 10 a.m.–3 p.m., VERTIV, 3040 S. Ninth Street, Ironton. Call 740-547-5100 to schedule an appointment

The Red Cross provides about 40 percent of the nation’s blood supply, and currently, Red Cross blood products are being distributed to hospitals as fast as donations come in.

They have to collect more than 13,000 donations every day for patients at about 2,600 hospitals and transfusion centers nationwide.

Accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and patients receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease may all require blood to help save their lives.