how it functions how you can get involved how you can use it to help your community

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: phrc@kingcounty.gov◦or◦dave.nichols@kingcounty.gov

My Contact Information