Volunteer for the Medical Reserve Corps

As part of the County's emergency planning and response system, the Emergency Medical Services Agency with the Department of Health Services sponsors a community volunteer health service corps, known as the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), a partner program of the US Citizen Corps. This group of volunteers consists of trained health care professionals, such as nurses, physicians, pharmacists, paramedics and EMTs, dentists, veterinarians as well as mental health professionals, such as psychologists, social workers, family therapists, and psychiatric technicians. Additionally many community members-interpreters, chaplains, office workers, legal advisors, and others - fill key support positions.

Our intent is to recruit volunteers who would be available during a local disaster and who are interested in serving as volunteers in our community during medical and health-related emergencies. Additionally volunteers are offered opportunities to serve the community throughout the year.

The primary mission of the Contra Costa County MRC is to recruit and train health care professionals for staffing Alternate Care Sites, Field Treatment Sites, Mass Vaccination and Prophylactic Medication Dispensing Sites in the event of a medical or public health disaster. Staff could also be asked to offer their services in a hospital setting should hospital staff need assistance in a surge situation. No volunteer will be assigned responsibilities beyond their scope, skills and capability or be asked to function in a setting beyond their comfort level.

If interested in learning more about the opportunities available through the Medical Reserve Corps, please contact Barbara Center, Contra Costa County Emergency Medical Services Agency at 925-313-9558 or bcenter@hsd.cccounty.us.

Visit the Medical Reserve Corps website for more information.