The Medical Reserve Corps is a specialized component of Citizens Corps,
a national network of volunteers dedicated to ensuring hometown security
and organized response to disasters of all kinds. Citizen Corps is part of USA
Freedom Corps which also encompasses the CERT and the Peace Corps programs.
The Contra Costa County MRC was developed as part of the County's emergency
planning and response system to address the need for additional medical
professionals to respond to a medical surge event or an event requiring the
mass distribution of pharmaceuticals. Oversight is provided by Contra Costa
County Public Health, Emergency Medical Services Agency and a Steering Committee continues to provide structure and input into the development, mission, goals and objectives of the team.
The Contra Costa County MRC consists of trained health care professionals,
including nurses, physicians, pharmacists, paramedics and EMTs, dentists,
veterinarians as well as mental health professionals, such as psychologists,
social workers, family therapists, and psychiatric technicians. Other
community members-interpreters, chaplains, office workers, legal advisors,
and others- are also involved in the team.
The Contra Costa MRC focuses on recruitment of volunteers who would be
available during a local disaster and are interested in serving as volunteers
in our community during medical and health-related emergencies and events.
The mission of the Contra Costa County Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) is to
improve the health and safety of community by training, organizing and utilizing public health, medical and other non-medical volunteers to assist in or augment medical care during disasters, major disease outbreaks or community events. MRC responses could include providing mass casualty triage and care, assisting with mass vaccinations or prophylactic medication dispensing or other medical and health related tasks including ongoing public service to the community.
Our team is led by an energetic and devoted emergency physician who has vast
experience in disaster and austere medicine. Our local Chapter of the American
Red Cross, as well as our Contra Costa County Emergency Management Agency are
hands-on supporters of the team. MRC Orientation and Basic Training sessions
are ongoing and the team became officially recognized and registered in May
2009.
To register on-line as a Contra Costa MRC applicant, please go to:
www.healthcarevolunteers.ca.gov. IMPORTANT: When you get to the "Affiliation"
tab, the system will ask the question, "Are you already a member of MRC?"
Answer, "Yes." It will then ask, "Which unit type are you a member of?"
Answer "Medical Reserve Corps." Lastly it will ask, "Which unit are you a
member of?" Please check "Contra Costa County MRC" as your option.
Once you have completed the registration process a message will be sent to
the local DHV of California Administrator.
If you have any questions about the Contra Costa County Medial Reserve Corps
or this registration process please contact Jason Gwaltney
(
jgwaltney@hotmail.com) or Barbara Center (
bcenter@hsd.cccounty.us) or (925)
313-9558.
Disaster Healthcare
Volunteer Registry
Contra Costa County Medical Reserve
Corps Newsletter - July 2009
(PDF, 2pp.)
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