Looking for an easy way to save lives? Try donating blood.

Every year the City of Coppell partners with Carter Blood Care to provide residents with the opportunity to donate blood for local patients in dire need. This year the annual community blood drive will be held in the training room at the Coppell Fire Station No. 3 on Tuesday.

Donors can schedule an appointment for anytime between 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. via the internet link located on the City of Coppell’s website.

“At recent times we waited longer in the year to pick the fall blood drive date,” Primary Blood Drive Coordinator Kyra Jansen said. “This time we set it aside so early that it was nice to get the word out as soon as possible.”

Prior to donating, any prospective donors should be aware of the requirements and restrictions that must be met, as blood donations are a complex process. Donors should have acceptable cholesterol and iron levels, as well as a normal blood pressure. Also, donors will be denied the opportunity if they have been out of the country for longer than 12 months.  

“They do have a lot of requirements and restrictions but they’re a very one-off circumstance,” Jansen said. “They’re not very strict in a sense where you have to weigh a certain amount or if you have given this many times.”