1. Greene NY Medical Reserve Corps
New Member Orientation (MRC 101)
July 10, 2014

2. Introduction
• Provide information on the history/mission
Medical Reserve Corps (MRC)
• Discuss the implementation of the MRC for
Greene County.
• Describe the role and expectations of MRC
volunteers
• Describe the activation protocol

3. History
• “Amerithrax”
• Following September 11th attacks
– Thousands of unaffiliated volunteers show up at sites
• No way to ID or credential
• Not covered under liability laws

4. History
• 2002 State of the Union Address
• Emergency System for Advance Registration of
Volunteer Health Professionals (ESAR-VHP)

5. Division of Civilian Volunteer
Medical Reserve Corps (DCVMRC)
• Office of Surgeon General
• Provides guidance, strategic planning, information
sharing
• MRC Regional Coordinators

6. DCVMRC Mission & Vision
• The mission of the Medical Reserve Corps
(MRC) is to improve the health and safety of
communities across the country by organizing
public health, medical and other volunteers.
• A nationwide network of organized volunteers
strengthening the health and safety of their
communities.

7. MRC Concept
• Foster Community Resiliency!
– Get all response partners to the table with a
common goal
– Strengthening the “everyday” public health
system will improve community preparedness
• Prepared Communities
• Prepared States
• Prepared Nation

8. New York State
• ServNY meets the ESAR-VHP requirements
• State Volunteer Coordinator
• Local units are integrated with local and state
public health planning and response activities

9. Greene NY MRC
• Officially formed April 16, 2014
• Is housed within the Greene County Public
Health Department
• Is one of 997 MRCs nationwide and 207,720
volunteers strong
• Uses existing ServNY database to register and
credential members

10. Greene NY MRC
The mission of the Greene NY Medical Reserve
Corps(MRC) is to mobilize trained medical and
non-medical volunteers to effectively support
public health operations and foster community
resiliency within Greene County through
training, exercises and response to real-world
events.

11. Membership
• Active, inactive, or retired health professionals
• Non-medical volunteers are highly encouraged
to participate as well
• Medical/nursing students
• Various experience levels
• Various backgrounds
• Desire to be an active

12. 12
Membership
• 53 Clinical Volunteers. Licenses include: MD, NP, RN,
LPN, DVM, EMT, & RT
• 15 Non-medical volunteers
• Online registration through ServNY
• Newsletter
• Quarterly MRC Activation Drills (IHANS)
• Regular trainings
• Members included in emergency preparedness drills

13. 13
MRC Service Area
• MRC members will be called upon to assist with
events/emergencies occurring within Greene County
• Some MRC members elected to also respond to state
and/or federal emergencies when they registered via
the ServNY database.
The decision to accept/decline any assignment is
always at the discretion of the volunteer

14. 14
What Will I Be Asked To Do?
• During an emergency:
o Augment medical and support
staff shortages at medical or
shelter facilities
o Assist with the distribution or
dispensing of equipment,
supplies, and/or medication
o Assist with disease surveillance
and/or investigation
o Provide administrative support
services
Photo: Nurse Kathleen McCarthy during Tdap vaccinations post-
Hurricane Irene

15. 15
What Will I Be Asked To Do?
• During times of non-
emergency:
o Invited to attend MRC trainings
o Assist at community flu clinics
and other immunization clinics
o Assist with volunteer
recruitment
o Participate in disaster drills and
exercises
Photo: Bryan McDonald (Cornell Intern), Helene Garden, Kim
Kaplan during Greene County Youth Fair, Summer 2013

16. 16
How Will We Be Contacted?
• During times of emergency:
o The primary method of contact will be via phone using an automatic
“call down” system.
o Quarterly activation calls
o Situation-dependent, the media, e-mail, and other methods may be
utilized simultaneously.

17. 17
How Will We Be Contacted?
• Non-emergency & Administrative Issues:
o E-mail is the primary means of communication
o Newsletter
o Training Announcements
o Recruitment for drills and flu clinics
o MRC Coordinator is available for visits, messages, phone calls

18. 18
Volunteer Contact Information
• Information provided in the
ServNY database will be used to
contact members.
All members must keep contact
information current and complete.

19. 19
Activation Protocol
Local Emergency Occurs:
• Activation through five phases
o Phase 1: Alert
o Phase 2: Activation
o Phase 3: Operations
o Phase 4: Demobilization
o Phase 5: Debrief
Depletion of local resources:
• County contacts State Emergency Management to
request state assets

20. 20
What is Expected of Members?
• Members should:
o Registration completion on
ServNY including current licensure
information (if applicable)
o Attend Volunteer Orientation
o Attend ICS-100 and IS-700, or
provide proof of completion
o Follow procedures to receive ID
o Be familiar with the MRC
Handbook
o Maintain all client confidentiality
o Personal preparedness

21. 21
Incident Command System (ICS)
• The ICS system is used to manage an emergency
incident or a non-emergency event. It can be used
equally well for both small and large situations.
• ICS has been used to manage incidents such as fires,
earthquakes, hurricanes and acts of terrorism.
• ICS can also be used for events that include planning
and operations such as a holiday event, parade,
and/or fair.

22. 22
Modular Organization
• Develops in a top-down, modular fashion.
• Based on size and complexity of incident(s).
• Management by objectives.

23. 23
Modular Organization
• COMMAND
– Has the overall responsibility at the incident or event
– Make strategic goals
• OPERATIONS
– Directs all “boots on the ground” resources
– Conducts tactical operations to carry out the plan (POD Workers)
• PLANNING
– Develops the action plan to accomplish the objective
• LOGISTICS
– Provides support to meet incident needs
– Obtain stuff
• FINANCE/ADMINISTRATION
– Monitors costs related to incident
– Provides accounting Procurement Time recording

24. 24
Sign-Up
• Register to be a volunteer by visiting
www.greenegovernment.com/public-health/
and clicking on the “Public Health Volunteer
Sign-Up.”
• You will be directed to our Greene NY MRC
page.
• You MUST register on the New York State
website as registration provides state liability
coverage in times of disaster.

25. 25
Questions?
Suggestions? We want to hear from you! Do
you have an idea which you think the Greene
MRC could benefit from?