FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTIONS
Why were Medical Reserve Corps created?
There was an outpouring of support for emergency relief efforts after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Many Americans asked, "What can I do to help?" Medical and public health professionals were among those who wanted to volunteer their services, but many were not able to find a way to do so. Using public health and medical volunteers in emergencies requires an organized approach and the emergency management system had not identified a role for them. While they had very necessary skills and knowledge, medical personnel could not be called up because they were not identified, credentialed or trained in advance.
The anthrax attacks in Fall 2001 reinforced the need for pre-qualified and trained supplemental medical and public health personnel to assist with emergency operations such as mass antibiotic dispensing or mass immunization campaigns. The anthrax missions immunized almost 40,000 people. If these events had been much larger, the Federal responders would have been overwhelmed and extra personnel would have been required.
To help meet these needs, the Medical Reserve Corps Program was formed in 2002, in cooperation with the White House's USA Freedom Corps, as one of the charter programs of Citizen Corps. Recruiting, training and organizing medical and public health professionals to strengthen their communities through volunteerism are at the core of the MRC concept. MRC volunteers offer their expertise throughout the year by supporting local public health initiatives, such as immunization and prevention activities. When an emergency community need occurs, MRC volunteers can work in coordination with existing local emergency response programs. With an MRC in place, a formerly untapped community resource - medical and public health volunteers - is functioning and available for the community to access in emergencies and for ongoing efforts in public health.
What is the typical MRC unit?
There is no "typical" MRC unit. Each unit organizes in response to the specific needs of an area. A region's hazard threats, health concerns, and the organization in which the unit is established (health department, hospital, faith-based organization, etc.), will dictate what an MRC unit looks like. Despite these differences, all MRC units work toward bettering their local area's public health infrastructure and strengthening response capabilities in the event of an emergency.
Volunteering
Can I become a volunteer?
MRC units are designed to leverage the good will and desire to help that many people display in the wake of a disaster. They offer both medical and non-medical volunteers a chance to join a network of people who are trained and ready to respond to an emergency when called to assist local health and safety officials. Through MRC units, volunteer doctors, nurses, pharmacists, dentists and EMTs learn how to assist in the response to a disaster affecting their communities. Even people without medical training are encouraged to join MRC units, as their non-medical skills are also useful during a response. Volunteers are provided valuable training free of charge, and they learn how to prepare themselves and their families during an emergency.
How do I volunteer?
Currently, there are over 40 MRC units in Massachusetts. You can call or e-mail the contact listed for each MRC unit to get more information about its activities and how to join. For a complete listing of MRC units, please check [link to Volunteer section].
What is MSAR ?
MSAR is a statewide, secure database of precredenitaled health care professionals who are interested in volunteering their services in the event of a public health emergency. MRC units support "local" public health initiatives, while MSAR is designed to pre-credential and deploy individuals in a large-scale disaster. MRC members are encouraged to consider registering with MSAR to ensure that locally-based resources are available in the event of a declared public health emergency. MSAR members are also encouraged to register with an MRC to assist in smaller, local events that do not initiate an MSAR activation. For more information, please visit www.mass.gov/msar.
Can you register with both MSAR and an MRC program?
Yes. All members of MRCs and various other health/medical related organizations such as the Red Cross, local EMS, DMAT, etc. are encouraged to register with MSAR as well as belonging to their current response organization. Volunteer healthcare workers who do not belong to MSAR may not be afforded the legal protections that accompany an MSAR activation.
Some volunteers may wish to work only in their local communities, and
the MRC is the best program for them. Registering for MSAR does not require a member to commit to any response obligation. An MRC member may chose to respond only and exclusively to a callout by his or her MRC. Belonging to MSAR will give MRC members legal protections that correspond with a statewide activation even if they commit only to their local MRC.
Others may not be able to volunteer on a regular basis for local work, but they would like to be available in the event of a major disaster or event. The MSAR system will provide these people with the means to identify the right opportunity and legal protections while volunteering. Volunteers who are potentially interested in both opportunities should register for either program. The registration process will prompt them to register for the other system.
What if multiple programs contact me to volunteer during a crisis?
All volunteers have responsibilities that must be met before they can
respond to a callout. Whether it is your family, your primary job, your local MRC, your local fire department, DMAT or other group or organization, you will need to decide for yourself, and check with the others, before committing to a deployment. For example, if you are contacted by MSAR and belong to an MRC, the MSAR system will specifically ask if you have notified your Unit Commander that you intend to deploy through MSAR. The process for MRC release to MSAR activation will be developed by each MRC. If you are activated by your local MRC and then receive a request from MSAR, you will need to be released from your current responsibility before accepting an MSAR activation. Similarly, prior to accepting deployment, you will be required to obtain consent from your employer if deployment interferes with your work schedule.
If I register for one of these groups, am I required to go if I am contacted?
All volunteers can accept or refuse a request for help. No matter what the
extent of the need is, these are VOLUNTARY deployments and participants are not required to respond to a request.
What if while volunteering with one group, I am contacted by the other?
Once a volunteer accepts an assignment, it is completely at his or her discretion to change assignment. A volunteer will be required to notify the unit leader or supervisor of their current assignment and request a release prior to accepting a new assignment. It would be difficult to anticipate all the possible scenarios and needs that might arise, but it is expected that volunteers will work with the organizations they have committed to in order to reach a mutually satisfactory outcome.
Forming a MRC unit
What are the benefits of becoming a MRC unit?
There are many benefits in becoming an MRC unit. A registered MRC unit receives immediate recognition in its community, in the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General, in Citizen Corps, in the White House's USA Freedom Corps, and nationwide. The MRC unit is offered technical assistance from the MRC National Program Office, which is housed in the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General. The local MRC unit can take advantage of efforts to coordinate and collaborate with other federal agencies and the multitude of national medical, health and emergency response organizations. These collaborative efforts provide information on activities, research, and technologies that these other agencies and organizations are engaged in and share the information with local MRC units through best practices, education and training, and technical assistance to help the local units set goals to meet the changing needs of their communities.
How can I get information on how other MRC units operate?
The National MRC Web site offers a message board as an open forum for networking and knowledge-sharing purposes. By creating a username and password, you may login to post questions, answers, and information for other MRC units and those interested in the efforts of the MRC Program.
For information about Massachusetts MRC units, please visit the Volunteer page for a complete listing of MA units and contact information.
What guidance or instructions are provided to local communities in the process of developing MRC units?
The MRC National Program Office serves as a clearinghouse of information for MRC units. Although the National Program Office does not offer strict rules about how a community should reach its goals and objectives, it offers guidance through a Technical Assistance (TA) Series . The TA Series includes sections about how to start, organize, coordinate, develop, and maintain an MRC unit and offers examples of best practices from MRC units with success stories about education, training, and other topics. In addition to providing this document as a resource, the National Program Office also hosts the official MRC Website, Listserv, and the Annual MRC National Leadership Conference, linking each community, interested person, or organization to more information and a strong network for communication.
In Massachusetts, MRC units and those in the process of developing units meet quarterly and talk by phone monthly to share ideas, experiences and information. To participate in these meetings and conference calls, please contact the office of the state MRC coordinator, Regina Villa Associates. You can send an email to info@reginavilla,com or call 617-357-5772 and ask for Regan Checchio or Nancy Farrell.
|
Spotlight