Blood Bank of Alaska opens permanent facility in Juneau

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) – The Blood Bank of Alaska has opened a permanent center in Juneau.

The Juneau Empire reports the facility has operated for a week and plans a grand opening Jan. 17.

Blood Bank of Alaska chairman Chris Mello says organization representatives have conducted mobile blood drives in Juneau for years. The organization has about 2,000 registered donors.

Two phlebotomists from Anchorage are staffing the center and the facility is looking to hire two locally.

Blood Bank CEO Robert Scanlon says none of the organization’s collected blood currently is used in Juneau. Bartlett Regional Hospital receives blood from the Lower 48.

However, the Blood Bank of Alaska supplies blood to 21 different hospitals throughout Alaska and to the military.