Medical Reserve Corps

Objectives Define community resilience and describe significance Discuss tool benefits and target audience Describe implementation strategy Demonstrate overview of training CD tool

Community Resilience Defined Community resilience is the ability of a community to rebound from a disaster with a new focus on recovery and mitigation and a renewed sense of trust in government and other community leadership.

Why We Need Community Resilience? Government cannot do all thats needed alone Protect the vulnerable or at-risk population Need critical partners in the community Reduce damage, death

Steps to Building a Resilient Community 5 techniques for public involvement: – Mass marketing efforts – Education campaigns – Organize opportunities – Relationship building – Organized forum

What is the Role of Medical Reserve Corps? Medical and non-medical volunteers Provide personnel surge capacity Trained to assist with disaster response activities Volunteers protected from liability

MRC Tool Product Benefits Addresses common needs for: –More resources to fill void in disaster response –Necessary training of volunteers –Assigning volunteers to fill specific duties –Avoiding impractical one-on-one training –Providing standardized training

Implementation Strategy Use for general training –Lets coordinators train volunteers in one setting –Lets volunteers work at their own pace and setting Use for certification –Required exercises and required tests Use for accreditation –Persons interested in creating their own MRC unit –Used as guidance for developing curriculum

Who are the Target Candidates? Support for multiple audiences: Volunteers: medical and non-medical MRC coordinators Lay folk

Demonstration – CD Layout

Point of Dispensing (POD)

Disaster and Personal Preparedness Discusses various disasters: man- made and natural – types of disasters and prevention Personal Preparedness –Plan components and disaster supply kit

Incident Command System Course with test Overview with ICS principles and organizational structure

Incident Command System Managing incident –Assessing situation –Establishing strategies –Develop Incident Action Plan (IAP) Communication Responsibilities Procedures Actions

Psychological First Aid Reviews PFA basics and purpose of training Steps to take and areas of caution to deal with unstable employees Domino effect – one person starts stressing out, others will follow suit

Shelter in Place Steps to sheltering in place Directions on how to seal windows, vents, and under doors –Materials needed

Universal Precautions Types of potential infectious body fluids Transmission routes Steps to limit exposure to pathogens Safe work practices –Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) –Decontamination procedures

Conclusions MRC tool kit can provide just in time training for volunteers Caveat: tool presented is not a baked cake –One size does NOT fit all –May require effort to customize –May not address all your needs.

Useful Websites and pages: –APC main page: –MRC: –Tarrant County: –Texas APC (NACCHO): –Texas APC*: Helpful Resources * Use the NACCHO link to request copies of Texas APC products. Use the contact us page at to reach session presenters, who can also provide more complete product demos upon request.

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