The Medical Reserve Corps

1. The Medical Reserve Corps How it functions How you can get involved How you can use it to help your community

2. Agenda • In the beginning • How we got here • What we are doing today • Ways to help strengthen your program • Ways to utilize your MRC

3. September 11 2001 • On 9-11 medical volunteers showed up at hospitals to help with survivors

4. Volunteers • Despite best intentions of the volunteers some issues arose in: • Credentialing • Liability • Management

5. Anthrax Attacks of October 2001 • Government was able handle the inoculations • During the AA it was realized had the event been larger they would have needed help

6. President Bush - State of The Union “My call tonight is for every American to commit at least two years -- 4,000 hours -- over the rest of your lifetime to the service of your neighbors and your nation.” “Many are already serving, and I thank you. If you aren't sure how to help, I've got a good place to start. To sustain and extend the best that has emerged in America, I invite you to join the new USA Freedom Corps.”

7. FEDERAL: Operational Concept MRC concept developed by Health and Human Services (HHS) to: • Create a system to pre-identify active and retired medical and public health volunteers – at the community level • Prepare volunteers in advance of an emergency • Utilize volunteers on an ongoing basis to strengthen the public health infrastructure year round

9. FEDERAL VOLUNTEER PROTECTION ACT - U.S.C. 14501 • Liability protection for volunteers. Except as provided in subsections (b) and (d), no volunteer of a nonprofit organization or governmental entity shall be liable for harm caused by an act or omission of the volunteer on behalf of the organization or entity if:

10. The volunteer was acting within the scope of the volunteer’s responsibilities • The volunteer was authorized by the appropriate authorities for the activities or practice • The harm was not caused by willful or criminal misconduct, gross negligence, reckless misconduct • The harm was not caused by the volunteer operating a motor vehicle, vessel, aircraft, or other vehicle

11. State Laws • RCW 28.52 Liability • WAC 118.04.180 responsibility of volunteer • WAC 118-04-200

12. REGIONAL: Region X (AK, ID, OR, WA) 49 MRC units Regional Coordinator: Jesús Reyna

13. Washington 27 MRC units State Coordinator: Scott Carlson

14. Health Department Emergency Management Agency Non-Governmental Organization Medical Society College/University Hospital/Health System Citizen Corps Council Faith-Based Organization Civic Organization  Fire Department/Agency  Planning Council/Commission Law Enforcement Agency Unit Sponsors

15. Types of units (Washington) • Washington State 27 Units • Department of Health - 13 units • Office of Emergency Management - 8 units • Citizen Corps - 3 units • Fire Department - 1 unit • Other - 2 units

16. Number of Volunteers • Washington State – 2,143 volunteers • Department of Health – 1,731 Volunteers • Emergency Management – 235 Volunteers • Citizen Corps - 125 Volunteers • Fire Department – 40 Volunteers • Other – 13 Volunteers

17. Types of Volunteers in Washington State • Medical – 1,538 • Support - 605

18. 10 Largests MRC’s in Washington State

19. What can they do The mission of the MRC is to engage volunteers to strengthen public health, emergency response and community resiliency.

20. ESF8 Missions Medication Center (dispensing or vaccinating) Health Screening & Assessment Alternate Care Facility Alternate Care Facility Public Information Call Center Disease/EPI Surveillance PH Workforce & PHRC Volunteers Environmental Hazard Mitigation Medical Needs Shelter Disaster Behavioral Health Isolation & Quarantine Mass Fatality Management

22. What it could look like

23. Hospital in a Box

24. 24 hour set up

25. What it will look like

29. Points of Dispensing (PODS) Open PODs • Dispense medications to the public • Common areas in the community (gyms, civic centers, community centers) • Managed by the local public health departments (local volunteers) • Closed PODs • Medications dispensed to a specific group or organization • Not open to the public • Managed by organization’s staff

30. PODS

31. 2011 Mass Vaccination Exercise

32. July 10- Red Cross Exercise

33. July 10- Red Cross Exercise

34. Healthcare for the Homeless Network Vaccination Clinic Roles: Greeters, Registrars, Vaccinators In October, volunteers spent 139 hours and administered over 600 flu vaccinations

35. PICC

36. KCMEO Death Investigator Surge Team • Training a small team of volunteers to provide surge capacity to Medical Examiner’s Office duties in the event of a mass fatality • Annual training composed of 10 classes • 2009-2010 team established • Made up of 12 PHRC volunteers and WA Air National Guard members

37. Death investigators

38. Support of Seattle & King County • Provide volunteers to help City of Seattle HHS survey homeless in support of an RFP • Provide volunteers to CD-EPI for a Norovirus outbreak in a supported community

39. Working with CERT

40. Current Mission preparation • Care Clinic in Tacoma on April 30th • Green River • Earthquake/Tsunami/Volcano • Terrorist incident • Public Health Missions • Whatever is next

41. What types of missions would they like to be involved in? • Public Health Support • Outbreak investigation, support of LHD clinics, Outreach • Disaster Medical Training • Radiation, Mass vaccination, Field medicine • Shelter Support • FNSS, Red Cross, Heating & Cooling

42. Support • Community Support • Fairs, bike & running races • Support of populations • Elderly, children, un/under insured, homeless

43. How you can utilize the MRC • Include them in your planning • Insert them into drills (they are licensed medical professionals) • Public education (hot and cold weather) • Support of Red Cross shelters • Add to CERT Drills and activation • Health screenings of your populations • Door to door service to deliver health/safety messages

44. The Obligatory Question Slide • Questions? • Ideas you can think of to utilize the Medical Reserve Corps? • Thank you

45. My Contact Information • Dave Nichols, CEM • www.kingcounty.gov/health/phrc • We are on Facebook (Public Health Reserve Corps) • Email address: phrc@kingcounty.gov • or • dave.nichols@kingcounty.gov