AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) — Officials with the Coffee Memorial Blood Center are asking for individuals to donate blood. This comes as the center is concerned with its blood supply as June approaches.

According to a news release from the center, the community is not currently in “an emergency blood appeal,” but officials from the center stressed that steps need to be taken so the community does not get into an emergency scenario.

“Our industry is faced with a problem like we have never seen before,” Brad Duggan, the executive director of the Coffee Memorial Blood Center, said in the release. “After months of post-pandemic struggles, our red blood cell supply is drifting into failure. We are entering a phase where it is possible blood will only be available while supplies last.

Duggan said that blood is perishable, lasting 42 days on the shelf. Duggan stressed that this requires “constant replenishment” of the blood supply.

“This difficulty has been worsening despite our continuing, exhausting efforts to correct the course and educate our community on the need. This is where we need help, we need to educate our community on this need, and we need them to come in and donate at our center or a mobile blood drive near them,” he said. “That is the solution to our problem, we need our community to hear the call and act now.”

Officials said that it is possible for people to donate blood up to six times per year, with the average person donating 1.8 times.