ORANGE, Calif. — According to the Red Cross, which provides 40% of the blood and blood components in the U.S., every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood or platelets. However, the organization says supplies are at record lows because among those eligible to donate, about 3% have.

UCI Health's Dr. Minh-Ha Tran says that if hospitals, such as the one he works at — the only Level 1 Trauma Center and Orange County's busiest emergency departments — have limited to low blood and platelet supplies, ambulances could be deferred to other hospitals. And in life-threatening situations, time is of the essence.

The hospital transfuses 1,000 units of blood to patients monthly, which means it needs at least 1,000 people to donate monthly.

Find out about blood donation eligibility and requirement information here.