Citizen Volunteers Provide Support During Emergencies
By Jennifer McGohan
(Wampsville, NY – March 2013) A disaster hits. Volunteers are requested. The Central New York Medical Reserve Corps is called into action. The Medical Reserve Corps is a group of citizen volunteers trained in advance to provide support during an emergency.
Madison County Health Department, a member of the Central New York Medical Reserve Corps is recruiting new volunteers. Volunteers come from medical and non-medical fields. There are doctors, nurses, pharmacists, mental health counselors, dentists, veterinarians, EMTs and paramedics, office workers, computer specialists, college students and retirees.
Volunteers choose where they want to serve and how much time to contribute.
Major emergencies can overwhelm the local public health system and those responding, especially during the first 12 to 72 hours. Medical and other health volunteers can provide an important “surge” capacity during this critical time. The CNY Medical Reserve Corps volunteers help strengthen the overall health and well-being of the communities it serves by contributing their skills, experience and services to enhance local emergency preparedness and response.
Learn more about becoming a member of the CNY Medical Reserve Corps. Register to attend the Volunteer Training Day on Tuesday, April 9th from 9am-4pm at the Madison County Health Department at 138 N Court St, Building 5, in Wampsville. The Training Day is for both existing and new volunteers to complete four of the five required trainings in-person rather than online. CPR is the other required course.
For more information or to register for the April 9 Training Day, visit healthymadisoncounty.org or call 315.366.2576.
Jennifer McGohan is a public health educator with Madison County Department of Health.