Blood, downed trees major concerns in NYC

Blood and downed trees were the major concerns Tuesday in New York City following Tropical Storm Irene.

After storm-related power failures spoiled 2,000 units of donated blood, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and other city officials called on New Yorkers to roll up their sleeves to help. Bloomberg himself gave a pint at a blood center in Manhattan.

Harvey Schaffler, an official at the nonprofit New York Blood Center, which serves the city, Long Island the rest of the greater metropolitan area, told Newsday that the blood supply is under two days for three critical negative blood types: O-negative, B-negative and A-negative. The normal blood supply runs from three to five days, Schaffler said.

Donations are normally slow in the run up to Labor Day, but the weather really set back collections, Schaffler said.

The O-negative supply is the most critical, Schaffler noted, because it can treat people with any blood type. Donors can call 800-933-2566 to find out how to give, Schaffler said.

In the storm cleanup, city crews had removed about 73 percent of the approximately 2,000 trees felled by Irene. All major arterial roadways were cleared and most primary roadways were open, city officials said. Most of the heavy lifting was being done by staff with the Department of Sanitation and Parks and Recreation, with extra help from the FDNY and Department of Transportation, a city spokeswoman said.

Power outages continued to drop. As of late Tuesday, Con Edison reported some 36,000 customers without power, down from 100,000 right after the storm. Most of the remaining outages -- about 6,900 -- were in Queens. Officials expected to have all power restored early Wednesday.