During the summertime blood collections fall off because people are busy the kids are out of school people are traveling.

Dozens of you helped fill the need during WSAZ's donorama earlier this summer. While blood drives like that help, here's how our region's blood supply looks now.

Summer is a double whammy for the Red Cross because while donations decrease blood demand can increase.

The need for blood continues and it does not take a holiday.Once the blood is donated and tested, its sent here for storage before being distributed to about 25 local hospitals. Red blood cells have a shelf life of only 42 days and platelets far less, so they always need more donations.

Trauma cases do tend to increase during the summer. Plus people are out and about and doing things they don't normally do during the colder months.

Surgeries don't take a break, either. But the need for blood is not just a local concern. After 2005's hurricane season, we all know the U.S. could take a big hit. Our blood here could help the victims.

That's why the blood needs to be on the shelf for whatever emergency. Whether its a national emergency like a Hurricane Katrina or a very small personal emergency like an accident on the interstate. That blood needs to be on the shelf, ready for whoever needs it, wherever they need it.

So while vacation is over, the need for blood is not.