Boulder County Public Health Communications Office 303-441-1457Volunteers Needed to Help County Respond to Public Health Emergencies
September 12, 2007—Boulder—As
part of the national and statewide effort to prepare for
public health emergencies and disasters, Boulder County
Public Health (BCPH) has initiated a new volunteer program,
the Medical Reserve Corps of Boulder County (MRCBC), to
recruit and train qualified medical and support volunteers
in order to assist the county’s response in emergencies and
disasters.
”The Medical Reserve Corps program started nationally
shortly after the 9/11 disaster,” said Donna Koehler,
Volunteer and MRCBC Coordinator for BCPH. “There were so
much destruction and so many injured that volunteers arrived
in uncontrollable numbers. Unfortunately, because there was
no organization and no plan, New York City officials had to
find housing and food for them, but were unable to use them.
It was chaos.”
In order to prepare for challenges that occur during
disasters like 9/11, or during a public health emergency
such as pandemic flu, the United States Office of the
Surgeon General established the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC).
The MRC was created to locally identify and train volunteers
who will support the public health response during disaster
and public health incidents.
“We are looking for practicing, non-practicing, and
retired medical professionals, as well as non-medical
support volunteers who can provide administrative duties,”
said Koehler. “This is a great way for individuals in the
community to be able to use their expertise during a public
health emergency.”
In Boulder County, MRCBC volunteers will assist BCPH’s
response by helping to staff a surge treatment center to
provide medical services if local hospitals become
overwhelmed. MRCBC volunteers may also be activated if there
is a need to vaccinate large numbers of Boulder County
residents.
Interested volunteers will be required to attend a
mandatory MRCBC volunteer orientation, a Colorado Public
Health and Medical Volunteer System (CPHMVS) orientation,
complete on-line emergency preparedness trainings, and
participate in an approved emergency drill, in order to be
an identified MRCBC volunteer. After completing the
orientations and trainings volunteers will receive official
identification, an MRCBC Field Guide, and an emergency
preparedness and first aid kit.
BCPH and the MRCBC will be hosting informational meetings
for the public on Tuesday, Sept. 18, at the Louisville
Recreation Center, 900 West Via Appia, Louisville, from 7-8
p.m., and Tuesday, Sept. 25, at the Meadows Library Branch,
4800 Baseline, Boulder, 7-8 p.m. Please arrive at 6:45 p.m.
for check-in.
For more information and to register to attend the
informational meetings, please call 303-441-1156 or visit
www.BoulderCountyMRC.orgg.
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