Medical Reserve Corps
CALL FOR WALTHAM MEDICAL RESERVE CORPS VOLUNTEERS
Waltham is seeking volunteers to assist us in Emergency Situations, e.g. when we have to dispense vaccines/antibiotics to the general population in the case of a flu pandemic or a bioterrorist event.
We will need:
- Medical personnel: doctors, nurses, pharmacists, medical technicians, counselors, etc.
- Clerical processors: greeters and registrars
- Security: traffic flow, parking, etc.
- Transportation: to help people get to our dispensing sites.
- Child care: for our other volunteers
What you can expect from being a member of the Waltham Medical Reserve Corp:
- Free training and continuing education credits, as you learn emergency management and disaster medical operations
- Skills development, to ensure that you will be ready to pitch in when a medical crisis occurs
- Delivery of medical care within your level of expertise to commensurate with your background, skills, and expertise, as required by the incident
- Networking with other health care providers, as part of a critically important and specialized team
- Options to participate in initiatives that enhance public health such as vaccination and education programs
- The ability to serve the emergency public health needs of family, friends, neighbors and loved ones in your own community
- If any vaccines/antibiotics need to be dispensed, volunteers and their families will be given them first
If you are interested in volunteering, please call the Region 4A MRC Coordinator, Catherine Corkery at (508) 755-6897. For More Information on the Medical Reserve Corp, visit their website at: http://medicalreservecorps.gov
Volunteer for the Medical Reserve Corps:
Why join Medical Reserve Corps
Download the Application
Download CORI Request Form
(All Volunteers Must Submit a Signed CORI Request Form)
TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
City Courses
Update on Pandemic/Avian Flu
This training will be given by Judith Chevalier, Health Educator, Massachusetts Department of Public Health. She will discuss avian influenza, pandemic flu, avian influenza in humans, and why we should be concerned.
Scene Safety
This training will be giving by Kevin Harmon, EMT, and Regional MRC Coordinator for Region 4a.
One thing common to many emergencies is that they are often unpredictable and present dangers to both relief workers and victims. This three hour class will assist both Healthcare Providers and Support staff how to avoid becoming a victim themselves. Some key elements to be discussed are: Sizing up an emergency scene, Personal and Coworker safety, and Patient safety.
Body Substance Isolation & Blood borne Pathogens
This training will be given by Kevin Harmon, EMT and Regional MRC Coordinator for Region 4a.
This two hour class will also focus on assisting the Healthcare Provider and Support Staff to avoid becoming a victim by becoming aware of body substance isolation and blood borne pathogens.
Other Locations
Bioterrorism Agents Workshop
Incident Command System Training
CPR Class
Limited to 8 people.
No cost to volunteers
Family Preparedness Training and How to Make a 72 Hour Kit
If you are interested in taking any of these courses please contact the Region 4A MRC Coordinator, Catherine Corkery at (508) 755-6897 for a registration form.
Website Trainings
It is important for volunteers to understand the National Incident Command System (NIMS) and the Incident Command System (ICS) in order to work well on an emergency scene together. Town employees involved in emergency situations have to be trained in them. There are 2 very good introductory courses that can be taken on the web and you can get certificates for successfully completing the courses.
IS-700 National Incident Management System (NIMS), An Introduction
This course introduces NIMS and takes approximately three hours to complete. It explains the purpose, principles, key components and benefits of NIMS. The course also contains "Planning Activity" screens giving you an opportunity to complete some planning tasks during this course. The planning activity screens are printable so that you can use them after you complete the course.
IS-100 Introduction to Incident Command System, I-100
This course describes the history, features and principles, and organizational structure of the Incident Command System. It also explains the relationship between ICS and the National Incident Management System (NIMS).
Terrorism and Public Health Training
Mass Dispensing Sites: A Primer for Volunteers
We encourage all of our MRC Volunteers to take this important course.
Please let the Health Department know when you have completed it. Thanks!
8 THINGS YOU CAN DO TO HELP US
1. Spread the word: If every member invited at least one friend to join, or brought them to one of our training events, we could meet our recruitment goals! Please remember that each member's involvement can be as little or as much as they would like. Their willingness to be pre-credentialed and contacted in case of an emergency means we will have a greater pool of qualified volunteers to draw on in a disaster.
2. Share information: If you know of any event occurring in Walthamin which you feel we should have a presence, let us know! (road races, church fairs, etc)
3. Stay current: Check the City's website www.city.waltham.ma.us for occasional updates in training and other Medical Reserve Corp news.
4. Keep in touch: Contact the Region 4A MRC Coordinator for the Waltham area, Catherine Corkery at (508) 755-6897. Feel free to email Catherine with ideas for the unit and updates about YOU at ccorkery@region4A-MA.org. Changes in your availability and training, resources we should know about, and generally feedback are welcome.
5. Keep your Records updated: Please send us copies of certifications, such as classes taken and updated CPR cards. These can be useful for our records.
6. Learn about NIMS, ICS, and BT: These courses can be taken online and will help all of us understand our roles in an emergency.
7. Keep your loved ones safe: Learn about personal and family preparedness, to protect those whom you care about in case of an emergency. A good source is the Citizens Corps web site www.citizencorps.gov/ready/.
8. Consider a Leadership Role: Since we are starting out, we will need a team of volunteers to establish a solid foundation for our unit. This team can decide on trainings, the times given, if we want to be involved in community events, what our badges will look like, etc.
OTHER RESOURCES
Documents
Medical Reserve Corps
Informational
Presentations
Local and Regional
Websites
State Websites
Federal