Medical Reserve Corps (MRC)

What is the Medical Reserve Corps? The Medical Reserve is a national network of more than 200,000 volunteers, organized locally to improve the health and safety of their communities.

The MRC organization brings together persons from healthcare and other disciplines to support local public health, emergency and medical services. When a disaster occurs, many Americans react by offering to help. To be ready to provide the rapid response needed in a disaster, volunteers need to be trained and organized. A key function of the MRC is to provide members with that specialized training and preparation.

Who can volunteer? The Medical Reserve Corps is currently accepting new volunteers.

Licensed medical professionals and others with medical experience: Nurses, doctors, pharmacists, EMT’s, veterinarians, dentists, nursing assistants, CMA’s, lab techs, phlebotomists, PT’s and others.

Mental health professionals: Counselors, social workers, therapists, psychiatrists, clergy and others.

People with other special skills: Computer specialists, translators, health educators, epidemiologists, biologists, chemists, security and others.

Volunteers to provide basic support services.

What would I be expected to do? You are needed for both emergency and non-emergency purposes. During a public health emergency, you may be asked to help staff at a vaccination clinic or pharmaceutical site. During times of non-emergency, volunteers will receive free emergency preparedness education and training and have the chance to serve as public health ambassadors. Some activities might include assisting with flu clinics, providing educational presentations, providing health screenings, promoting immunization campaigns and assisting with school health screenings.

Clark County MRC LOSS Team responds to the scene of a completed suicide to help loved ones cope with the immediate trauma of their loss. The MRC volunteers are trained in the Local Outreach to Suicide Survivor’s (LOSS) model.

Clark County MRC Crisis Response Team response to help others in a traumatic event. The Crisis Response team is trained in the NOVA Community Crisis Response Team model.

For more information on registering for a class and becoming a volunteer, contact Sandy Miller at 937-390-5600 ext 262 or smiller@ccchd.com or Jan Walker at 937-390-5600 ext. 278 or jwalker@ccchd.com

Other resources:

• Ohio Responds
• Medical Reserve Corps – National
• Federal Emergency Management Agency
• MRC Train