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Click here to read a message from Commissioner Auerbach, DPH, thanking MRC volunteers for their response to H1N1. (12/31/10)


Information and advice on the current swine flu situation is available for Massachusetts residents by calling 211. This number will be utilized as a 24/7 resource for human service and Public Safety/disaster response and planning agencies. This service offers translators for a variety of languages. For more information, please see the MEMA website. For more information on the swine flu health alert, please see the MA DPH website for blog updates and CDC information

 

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MRC Facts

The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) was founded after President Bush's 2002 State of the Union Address, in which he asked all Americans to volunteer in support of their country. It is a specialized component of Citizen Corps, a national network of volunteers dedicated to ensuring hometown security. Citizen Corps, along with AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and the Peace Corps, are all part of the President's USA Freedom Corps, which promotes volunteerism and service throughout the nation.

MRC units are community-based and function as a way to organize locally and utilize volunteers who want to donate their time and expertise to prepare for and respond to emergencies and promote healthy living throughout the year. MRC volunteers supplement existing emergency and public health resources.

MRC volunteers include medical and public health professionals such as physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, veterinarians, and epidemiologists. Many community members-interpreters, chaplains, office workers, legal advisors, and others-can also fill key support positions in MRCs.

MRCs are organized by cities and towns or regions. At this time, MRCs are housed in City and Town health offices, hospitals, universities and emergency medical services locations. Most of the MRCs work with other local and regional emergency preparedness groups.