Operation Warp Speed

It can be challenging to find locations for blood drives in the middle of a pandemic.

“The pandemic continues to impact where we can host blood drives, so it is always welcomed news when additional community partners are identified who want to host blood drives,” says Susan Forbes, OneBlood Senior VP, Corporate Communications & Public Relations.

The Federal Government has stepped up as one of those partners and are calling this mission Operation Warp Speed.

“Under Operation Warp Speed, both a joint effort with the Department of Defense and Department of Health and Human Services. It's to try to partner with new organizations, willing to host drives and get the word out, about just how important it is for donors to give and to donate,” says Major Katie Williams.  

Operation Wrap Speed is dispatching help to cities across the country that are experiencing a high number of Covid-19 cases.

Major Katie Williams is one of 14 people assigned to Operation Warp Speed. They are visiting 14 cities across the United States; Including several here in Florida. The mission is to encourage more blood and convalescent plasma donations.

“It just came to my heart today to give,” says a blood donor.

Every VA hospital in Florida is helping lead the way towards saving lives by joining forces with OneBlood and Operation Warp Speed.

“To be able to see organizations such as OneBlood and the VA get together having a CCP drive as well as a blood drive simultaneously and offering that to our employees, to our veterans and to our community. I think that is one of the best things you can have happen,” says Timothy Cooke, CEO & Medical Center Director of Orlando VA Healthcare System.

“The VA’s have blood drives scheduled with us for the next three months throughout Florida, which is great because having a sustained donor response is so critical throughout the pandemic,” says Susan Forbes.

The OneBlood teams’ around the clock effort of saving lives during a pandemic does not go unnoticed.

“Oh, it's an incredible organization. What they've been doing, really during this difficult time in trying to provide all they can to the need at the hospitals and to sick Covid patients with the convalescent plasma, it’s incredible organization I'm in awe at, at what they're able to accomplish for the community,” says Williams.

“Keeping a good blood supply level and making sure we have access to that plasma is really going to be helpful for those in our community that need it. This is really about your heart and what’s in your heart being able to know that it’s really part of our responsibility to give back to others,” says Timothy Cooke.

 For more information on how you can donate visit here