Your blood can help save lives, and right now there's a desperate need for it.

We found out there is a critical shortage of O-negative blood at the Marsh Regional Blood Center.

Over the Fourth of July holiday, several traumas depleted their supply, and as the summer months typically bring more accident patients into the emergency room, your help is needed now more than ever.

"The reason that we need O-negative blood is O-negative blood is the universal blood. So, we like to say O-negative blood donors are a trauma patient's lifeline," said Constance Ferguson with Marsh Regional Blood Center.

We learned the blood donation process takes about 45 minutes from start to finish, and all blood stays local.

For information on how and where you can donate call (423) 224-5888.