An urgent plea for blood donations is being issued by East Coast officials and Iowans are answering the call. Christine Hayes, spokeswoman for the Blood Center of Central Iowa says the Des Moines-based blood center may be in middle America, but it is often called upon to provide the life-giving fluid for other parts of the country.

Hayes says Iowans should contact their nearest blood center outlet and schedule a time to donate a pint. The Blood Center of Central Iowa supplies blood to 26 hospitals in 22 central Iowa counties.

In addition to urging people to donate blood, officials with Red Cross chapters in Iowa are contacting agency volunteers who may soon be sent to the East Coast. Bobbie Bishop is a spokeswoman for the Central Iowa chapter.Bishop says the Red Cross usually sets up a hotline for people to call in a situation like this, but not today.

She says people who’re trying to locate loved ones should continue trying to do so by telephone or e-mailAs yet, no Iowa-based Red Cross workers or volunteers have been sent to any of the disaster sites.