The American Red Cross urgently needs donors of all blood types to be the lifeline patients need by donating blood or platelets this holiday season.

According to the organization, blood and platelet donations often decline during the holidays as people get busy with holiday activities and travel. Snowstorms and severe winter weather may also cause blood drive cancellations and further impact donations. Donors are urged to give now to ensure patients don’t have to worry about the availability of blood this winter.

All eligible individuals are urged to make an appointment to give now by using the Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device. A blood donation takes about an hour from start to finish, but the actual donation itself only takes about 8-10 minutes. Donation appointments are encouraged to reduce possible wait times at blood donation sites.

Donors can also save up to 15 minutes at the blood drive by completing a RapidPass. With RapidPass, donors complete the pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of donation, from a mobile device or computer. To complete a RapidPass, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Red Cross Blood Donor App.