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Becoming a Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) Volunteer is easy, just visit www.volunteeridaho.org to register. You do not need to be a U.S. citizen to be part of the MRC.
The MRC is made up of community members with and without medical training, as well as public health professionals. Everyone possesses valuable skills that contribute to the day-to-day operations of the local public health department and during times of community need. Central District Health’s Medical Reserve Corps program serves Ada, Boise, Elmore, and Valley Counties.
MRC members:
- Supplement existing emergency and public health resources.
- Include medical and public health professionals such as physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, veterinarians, and epidemiologists. Many community members-interpreters, chaplains, office workers, legal advisors, and others can fill key support positions.
- Strive to increase disease prevention, eliminate health disparities, and improve public health preparedness.
- Offer education and prevention services to improve the public health infrastructure of their neighborhoods and communities.
MRC members also learn valuable skills such as:
- How to protect the health, safety, and overall well-being of themselves, their families, the team, and the community.
- How to develop a personal and family preparedness plan.
- MRC unit’s role in public health and/or emergency response and its application to a given incident.
- How to follow procedures for assignment, activation, reporting, and deactivation.
The training focus is on support skills training, primary emergency response procedures, and an introduction to the Incident Command System (ICS100 and IS700). All MRC volunteers also undergo an orientation to the program which includes an in-depth look at our emergency response role and how we fit in to the overall public health plan. As often as possible, we provide other training, completely free of charge, to MRC members such as Psychological First Aid, Public Health 101–the Basics, Family Disaster Preparedness, among others.
- MRC Training Plan Nov 2023
- MRC Handbook Nov 2023
The MRC program was formed in 2002. Recruiting, training, and organizing medical and public health professionals to strengthen their communities through volunteerism are at the core of the MRC concept. MRC volunteers offer their expertise throughout the year by supporting local public health initiatives, such as immunization and other public health activities. When a community-wide public health emergency occurs, MRC volunteers work in coordination with existing local emergency response plans.
Volunteers are the very heart of the MRC. The existence of this nationwide, community-based program is due to the willingness of volunteer medical and non-medical members of the community to serve their fellow residents in times of need.
Becoming a Medical Reserve Corps Volunteer is easy, just visit www.volunteeridaho.org to register. (When you visit this website, Central District Health is identified as Health District #4.) You do not need to be a U.S. citizen to be part of the MRC.
The MRC at Central District Health is a community-based program that functions to organize and utilize medical and non-medical volunteers who want to donate their time and valuable skills to prepare for and respond to community-wide public health emergencies as well as promote healthy living and other public health activities throughout the year. The CDH-MRC functions as part of the Public Health Preparedness Program within the Central District Health.
You can join the CDH-MRC team and volunteer as frequently as you like or solely be available in the event of a public health emergency or disaster.
- Typically, MRC members contribute their time and talents during an emergency or throughout the year by participating in our preparedness training and exercises.
- Central District Health reserves the right to place volunteers where the need is greatest. We will make every attempt to place volunteers in area that capitalizes on their skills and abilities.
FAQS
Yes, the Medical Reserve Corps gives both medical and non-medical volunteers a chance to join a network of people who are trained and ready to respond to an emergency when called upon to assist local health and safety officials, as well as assist in the day-to-day mission of improving the health of our communities. People without medical training are encouraged to join the MRC. Their skills, although not medical, are valuable and necessary to fill key support positions during any response.
Major emergencies can easily overwhelm the capabilities of professional first responders. Medical and other volunteers can provide an important “surge” capacity during this critical period. Volunteer resources are needed to improve our community’s overall response capabilities. During normal operation, or times of non-emergency, MRC volunteers offer their expertise by supporting several local public health initiatives, such as immunization and education activities.
The CDH-MRC program is made up of all different types of volunteers with all different types of schedules and outside commitments. Outside of the required, brief orientation and ICS training session, our program has no minimum time commitment. Some of our volunteers want only to be contacted in the case of large-scale public health emergencies, while others want to help-out whenever they can for different projects throughout the year. It’s up to the individual. When a volunteer opportunity is available, members are notified, usually via e-mail (mrc@cdh.idaho.gov), and those that are able and interested are encouraged to reply.
CONTACT
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