Published by Kirby Winn on Friday, August 22, 2025 in News Releases
ImpactLife is among 12 blood providers across the U.S. that are responding to a mass casualty event that took place Friday afternoon in western New York. The national Blood Emergency Readiness Corps (BERC) has been activated in response to a serious crash involving a tour bus and a semi on Interstate 90, in Pembroke, New York (near Buffalo).
![BERC on call graphic]()
A large emergency response was underway as of early Friday afternoon, with one report indicating more than 50 injured patients taken to area hospitals. The blood provider in the region has requested additional units of blood to support immediate needs and to recover inventory used to treat injured patients.
To book an appointment to give blood with ImpactLife, call (800) 747-5401, text LIFESAVER to 999-777, or book online at bloodcenter.org, or via the Blood Center's mobile app.
![Katie Marchik photo]()
Katie Marchik
Chief Operating Officer
“We know the demand for blood can spike at any time,” said Katie Marchik, Chief Operating Officer. “Blood Emergency Readiness Corps enables ImpactLife to get lifesaving blood components where they are needed most. And, BERC gives us confidence that blood products will be available to meet transfusion needs for hospitals and EMS groups in our region if we are faced with a similar spike in demand.”
Blood Emergency Readiness Corps (BERC) exists to help blood providers meet immediate transfusion needs when faced with a large-scale emergency. Through BERC, participating blood centers from across the United States have joined forces to prepare for mass transfusion disasters, ensuring their ability to meet emerging needs without delay or uncertainty.
BERC has called an activation, which means the blood centers that are on call this week for BERC will ship units of blood to support the affected region of New York. Additional donations will be needed to continue providing blood products, if needed in the region, and to support ongoing needs of the communities of Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin that ImpactLife routinely supports.
Learn more about BERC
ABOUT IMPACTLIFE
ImpactLife is a nonprofit, independent, community blood center founded in 1974 that provides lifesaving blood products and services to more than 130 hospitals and emergency medical service providers in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin. ImpactLife is one of the top 12 blood providers in the U.S. supporting the needs of patients, hospitals, EMS partners, and medical researchers throughout the country. The blood center’s mission is supported by more than 200,000 volunteer blood donations each year. For more information, see www.bloodcenter.org and find us @impactlifeblood on Facebook, X, Instagram, Threads, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
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