BALTIMORE, MD — American Red Cross officials have issued an emergency call for blood donations to replenish a dwindling blood supply at hospitals nationwide after the long Fourth of July weekend. Currently blood donations are being distributed to hospitals faster than donations are coming in, the agency said, and Maryland blood donors are needed to help.

Fewer blood donors and blood drives last week have escalated the Red Cross call for all blood and platelet donors to meet hospital needs. More than 450 fewer blood drives were held than during a typical week the week of July 4 which may have led to as many as 17,000 fewer blood donations. (Find planned blood drives scheduled across Maryland below.) "Blood transfusions are one of the most common hospital procedures and blood donors play a critical role in ensuring there are enough products on the shelves to help patients in need," said Dr. Pampee Young, chief medical officer, American Red Cross, in a news release. "Each day, kids battling cancer, accident victims being raced to the emergency room and mothers experiencing complicated childbirths rely on lifesaving blood. We need the public's help today to ensure we have enough blood to meet these dire needs."

Schedule your blood donation appointment by visiting RedCrossBlood.org.

The Red Cross has added about 8,000 appointments at blood donation centers and blood drives across the country in the coming weeks to handle more donors. You can find a blood drive in your area by using the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767). Or, open the Red Cross Blood skill on an Alexa-enabled device with a selection of prompts such as, "Alexa, open Red Cross Blood Skill" and ask, for example, "Alexa, find a blood drive."

Scheduled blood donations sites in the stat include: Friday, July 12, 2019

Kentland Community Center - Battle of the Badges, 2413 Pinebrook Ave., Hyattsville, 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Rockville Blood Donation Center, 11820 Parklawn Drive, Suite 510, Rockville, MD, 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Baltimore Mt Hope Blood Donation Center, 4700 Mt Hope Drive, Baltimore, 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Central Presbyterian Church, 7308 York Road, Towson, 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Timonium Blood Donation Center, 2405 York Road, Suite 300, Lutherville, 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Johns Hopkins Hospital-Turner Concourse, 720 Rutland Avenue, Baltimore, 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Chesapeake Urology Associates, 2 Park Center, Suite 1, Owings Mills, 10:00 AM - 3:30 PM

American Legion Post 128, 44 N. Parke St., Aberdeen, 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Columbia Blood Donation Center, 10400 Little Patuxent Parkway Suite 400, Columbia, 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Odenton Volunteer Fire Company, 1425 Annapolis Road, Odenton, 10:30 AM - 4:00 PM Saturday, July 13, 2019

Rockville Blood Donation Center, 11820 Parklawn Drive, Suite 510, Rockville, MD, 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Baltimore Mt Hope Blood Donation Center, 4700 Mt Hope Drive, Baltimore, 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Timonium Blood Donation Center, 2405 York Road, Suite 300, Lutherville, 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Hunt Valley Inn, 245 Shawan Road Hunt Valley, 9:00 AM - 2:30 PM

Columbia Blood Donation Center, 10400 Little Patuxent Parkway Suite 400, Columbia, 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Bowie Senior Center, 14900 Health Center Dr Bowie, 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM Sunday, July 14, 2019

Rockville Blood Donation Center, 11820 Parklawn Drive, Suite 510, Rockville, MD, 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Baltimore Mt Hope Blood Donation Center, 4700 Mt Hope Drive, Baltimore, 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Timonium Blood Donation Center, 2405 York Road, Suite 300, Lutherville, 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Chestnut Ridge Volunteer Fire Company, 12020 Greenspring Ave., Owings Mills, 8:30 AM - 2:00 PM

Columbia Blood Donation Center, 10400 Little Patuxent Parkway Suite 400, Columbia, 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Baltimore Orioles - Columbia Gym, 6151 Day Long Lane, Clarksville, 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM Monday, July 15, 2019 Rockville Blood Donation Center, 11820 Parklawn Drive, Suite 510, Rockville, MD, 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Hughes United Methodist Church, 10700 Georgia Ave., Wheaton, MD, 2:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Baltimore Mt Hope Blood Donation Center, 4700 Mt Hope Drive, Baltimore, Noon - 8:00 PM

Timonium Blood Donation Center, 2405 York Road, Suite 300, Lutherville, Noon - 8 PM

University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Medical Center, 500 Upper Chesapeake Drive, Bel Air, 10:30 AM - 4:00 PM

Columbia Blood Donation Center, 10400 Little Patuxent Parkway Suite 400, Columbia, Noon - 8:00 PM Tuesday, July 16, 2019