The Medical Reserve Corps
How it functions
How you can get involved
How you can use it to help your community
Agenda
In the beginning
How we got here
What we are doing today
Ways to help strengthen your program
Ways to utilize your MRC
September 11 2001
On 9-11 medical volunteers showed up at hospitals to help with survivors
Volunteers Despite best intentions of the
volunteers some issues arose in:
◦ Credentialing
◦ Liability
◦ Management
Anthrax Attacks of October 2001
Government was able handle the inoculations
During the AA it was realized had the event
been larger they would have needed help
“My call tonight is for every American to commit at least two years -- 4,000 hours -- over the rest of your lifetime to the service of your neighbors and your nation.”
“Many are already serving, and I thank you. If you aren't sure how to help, I've got a good place to start. To sustain and extend the best that has emerged in America, I invite you to join the new USA Freedom Corps.”
President Bush - State of The Union
FEDERAL: Operational Concept
MRC concept developed by Health and Human Services (HHS) to:◦ Create a system to pre-identify active and retired
medical and public health volunteers – at the community level
◦ Prepare volunteers in advance of an emergency◦ Utilize volunteers on an ongoing basis to
strengthen the public health infrastructure year round
FEDERAL VOLUNTEER PROTECTION ACT - U.S.C. 14501
Liability protection for volunteers. Except as provided in subsections (b) and (d), no volunteer of a nonprofit organization or governmental entity shall be liable for harm caused by an act or omission of the volunteer on behalf of the organization or entity if:
1. The volunteer was acting within the scope of the volunteer’s responsibilities
2. The volunteer was authorized by the appropriate authorities for the activities or practice
3. The harm was not caused by willful or criminal misconduct, gross negligence, reckless misconduct
4. The harm was not caused by the volunteer operating a motor vehicle, vessel, aircraft, or other vehicle
State Laws RCW 28.52 Liability WAC 118.04.180 responsibility of volunteer WAC 118-04-200
REGIONAL: Region X (AK, ID, OR, WA)
49 MRC units Regional Coordinator: Jesús Reyna
Washington
27 MRC units State Coordinator: Scott Carlson
Unit Sponsors Health Department Emergency
Management Agency Non-Governmental
Organization Medical Society College/University
Hospital/Health System
Citizen Corps Council Faith-Based
Organization Civic Organization Fire
Department/Agency Planning
Council/Commission Law Enforcement
Agency
Types of units (Washington) Washington State 27 Units
Department of Health - 13 unitsOffice of Emergency Management - 8 unitsCitizen Corps - 3 unitsFire Department - 1 unitOther - 2 units
Number of Volunteers Washington State – 2,143 volunteers
◦ Department of Health – 1,731 Volunteers◦ Emergency Management – 235 Volunteers◦ Citizen Corps - 125 Volunteers◦ Fire Department – 40 Volunteers◦ Other – 13 Volunteers
Types of Volunteers in Washington State Medical – 1,538 Support - 605
10 Largests MRC’s in Washington State
Volunteer Count Total
Pierce County Medical Reserve
Corps , 378
Public Health Reserve Corps of Seattle and King
County , 350
Snohomish County Medical Reserve Corps ,
215
Homeland Security Region 2
MRC , 186
Region IV Medical Reserve Corps
(Southwest Washington) , 153
Thurston County Medical Reserve
Corps , 117
Skagit County Medical Reserve
Corps , 114
Whatcom County Medical Reserve
Corps , 108
Grays Harbor Medical Reserve
Corps , 103
Carnation-Duvall Medical Reserve
Corps , 85
What can they do
The mission of the MRC is to engage volunteers to strengthen public health, emergency response and community resiliency.
PH Workforce & PHRC Volunteers
Health Screening & Assessment
Alternate Care Facility
Medication Center (dispensing or vaccinating)
Public Information Call Center
Medical Needs Shelter
Disease/EPISurveillance
Isolation & Quarantine
Mass Fatality Management
Environmental Hazard Mitigation
Disaster Behavioral Health
Alternate Care Facility
ESF8 Missions
What it could look like
Hospital in a Box
24 hour set up
What it will look like
Points of Dispensing (PODS)
Open PODs◦ Dispense medications to the public◦ Common areas in the community
(gyms, civic centers, community centers)
◦ Managed by the local public health departments (local volunteers)
Closed PODs◦ Medications dispensed to a specific
group or organization◦ Not open to the public◦ Managed by organization’s staff
PODS
2011 Mass Vaccination Exercise
July 10- Red Cross Exercise
July 10- Red Cross Exercise
Healthcare for the Homeless Network Vaccination Clinic
Roles: Greeters, Registrars, Vaccinators
In October, volunteers spent 139 hours and administered over 600 flu vaccinations
PICC
KCMEO Death Investigator Surge Team
Training a small team of volunteers to provide surge capacity to Medical Examiner’s Office duties in the event of a mass fatality
Annual training composed of 10 classes 2009-2010 team established Made up of 12 PHRC volunteers and WA Air
National Guard members
Death investigators
Support of Seattle & King County
Provide volunteers to help City of Seattle HHS survey homeless in support of an RFP
Provide volunteers to CD-EPI for a Norovirus outbreak in a supported community
Working with CERT
Current Mission preparation Care Clinic in Tacoma on April 30th Green River Earthquake/Tsunami/Volcano Terrorist incident Public Health Missions Whatever is next
What types of missions would they like to be involved in? Public Health Support
◦ Outbreak investigation, support of LHD clinics, Outreach
Disaster Medical Training◦ Radiation, Mass vaccination, Field medicine
Shelter Support◦ FNSS, Red Cross, Heating & Cooling
Support Community Support
◦ Fairs, bike & running races Support of populations
◦ Elderly, children, un/under insured, homeless
How you can utilize the MRC Include them in your planning
Insert them into drills (they are licensed medical professionals)
Public education (hot and cold weather) Support of Red Cross shelters Add to CERT Drills and activation Health screenings of your populations Door to door service to deliver
health/safety messages
The Obligatory Question Slide Questions?
Ideas you can think of to utilize the Medical Reserve Corps?
Thank you
◦Dave Nichols, CEM◦www.kingcounty.gov/health/phrc◦We are on Facebook (Public Health
Reserve Corps)◦Email address: [email protected]◦or◦[email protected]
My Contact Information