Medical Reserve Corps and Radiation Response

1
Medical Reserve Corps and Radiation Response

• Captain Narayan Nair, MD
• Office of the Civilian Volunteer Medical Reserve
  Corps
• Office of the Surgeon General

2
Overview

• Upon conclusion to this presentation, the
  participant will be able to
• Discuss trends in volunteerism
• Discuss the concept of the MRC program
• Understand ways the MRC may contribute radiation
  emergency preparedness
• Understand ways radiation professionals may
  engage the MRC

3
Volunteerism

• 61.8 million Americans (26.4 of the U.S.
  population) volunteered through an organization
  in 2008
• gt 8 billion hours of service in 2008
• worth an estimated 162 billion
• Source Corporation for National and Community
  Service (CNCS)

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Beware of SUVs

• Spontaneous Unaffiliated Volunteers

5
A Brief History

• Following 9-11 attacks
• Thousands of unaffiliated volunteers show up at
  sites
• No way to ID or credential
• Not covered under liability laws
• No Incident Command System (ICS) training
• Difficult to manage

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MRC At A Glance

• National network
• Mission Engage volunteers to strengthen public
  health, emergency response and community
  resiliency
• Key Points
• Organize/utilize locally
• Affiliate/integrate with existing programs and
  resources
• Volunteer management -- identify, screen/verify
  credentials, train

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MRC Models

• Community-based No typical MRC
• All MRC units
• Provide an organization structure for utilizing
  members
• Pre-identify members
• Verify professional licensure/certification
• Train/prepare
• Units vary by
• Housing organizations
• Partner organizations
• Types/number of volunteers
• Local mission/activities

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Why Not One Model?

• Local leaders determine the model that best fits
  their community needs
• Population
• Geography
• Community government structure
• Health needs
• Differing laws and local government structure
• one size does not fit all

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Housing Organizations
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MRC Volunteers

• Medical and public health professionals
• in training
• active practice
• inactive
• retired
• Other interested individuals
• can help with communications, administration,
  planning, logistics, etc

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MRC Volunteers
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MRC Activities

• FY 2010 - 9,524 activities
• 1,063 administrative
• 2,831 public health
• 1,528 preparedness
• 2,264 training
• 1,838 emergency response
• FYO9 6,468 activities
• FY08 5,346 activities
• FY07 2,832 activities

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Support Existing Public Health ResourcesSuppo
rt Existing Emergency Resources
15
9/11 EventHHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius
receives her seasonal flu shot from an Alexandria
MRC volunteer
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Potential role for MRC in Radiological Response

• Set up Alternate Care facilities
• Assist with Shelter Operations
• Staff SNS/PODs
• Help address behavioral health issues
• Population Monitoring
• Educating the Community

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MRC Units with a focus on Radiological Response

• Florida Radiation Response Volunteer Corps
• MRC GEM
• Mississippi Radiological Volunteer Professionals

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How can Radiation Professionals Engage a local
MRC?

• Contact the volunteer administrator to learn what
  roles have already been identified for volunteers
• Volunteer count by type is available on the unit
  profile
• Work with the local unit to determine what their
  role should be in a radiation response
• Discuss what additional types of volunteers would
  be needed, what training would be needed/could be
  provided

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Finding MRC Units

• http//www.medicalreservecorps.gov

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Finding MRC Units
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Finding MRC Units
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Bridging the Gap and Making the Connection

• Educating MRC Units about Radiation Response and
  Population Monitoring
• Educating professionals about the MRC
• Providing specific training to MRC volunteers
• Identifying and mitigating challenges/barriers

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For More Information

• OCVMRC
• MRCcontact_at_hhs.gov
• [phone]
• MRC website
• http//www.medicalreservecorps.gov
• MRC Regional Coordinators
• http//www.medicalreservecorps.gov/Coordinators/Re
  gional
• MRC State Coordinators
• http//www.medicalreservecorps.gov/Coordinators/St
  ate
• Contact existing MRC units

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Contact Information

• Narayan Nair, MD
• CAPT, USPHS
• Office of the Civilian Volunteer Medical Reserve
  CorpsOffice of the Surgeon General
• Room 18C-14, Parklawn Building
• 5600 Fishers Lane
• Rockville, MD 20857
• [phone]narayan.nair_at_hhs.gov
• http//www.medicalreservecorps.gov