Sen. Chuck Grassley visited the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center in Davenport yesterday. The center lost donations to last week's storm, at a time when people who need blood out number people who donate.
Grassley says that while the donor center in Cedar Rapids had no power, the Davenport center was able to compensate.
"Now, there's a lot of science to this that a farmer like me probably doesn't understand," he said. "One person said to me, all you gotta understand is that when you need (a) blood transfusion at your local hospital, you're going to get it... This is a tremendous organization that not only does good for people that have health problems, but it's very good for the economy with 300 employees right here... in Davenport."
The Mississppi Valley Regional Blood Center distributes blood to 115 hospitals in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, and Wisconsin. Power has been restored to the donation center in Cedar Rapids.