The Medical Reserve Corps

the simple life

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Does anyone else have a volunteer medical corp program going on in their area?
I just signed up for the Medical Reserve Corp in my district.
They train you to help out in emergencies, epidemics,natural disasters and things like that.
My husband and oldest children signed up as well.
After they take your application at the initial information workshop and run a criminal background check on you they send you your choice of training workshops.
At the first workshop they give you a bunch of options to sign up for regarding your availability and what capacity you are interested in working in.
I just signed up for 3 workshops this upcoming month. I chose one where you set up a makeshift hospital in case of overflow at the local hospitals and learn what I would be doing to help run one as well.
Another one where you run emergency clinics in case of an epidemic, doing patient intake forms and vaccinating people.
The third is a home preparedness workshop, which goes into how to make your home a safe place to wait it out so to speak during an emergency situation and what you will need in order to do so.
They will also be supplying the items needed to assemble firstaid and safety kits for us to take home.

There are alot more listed that you can sign up for but I am going to get my feet wet with these first.

In a couple of months they will be having one at an airport runway. Its a simulated disaster scene where you are trained to do all sorts of different things.
The woman at the workshop said it is very intense and chaotic, they make it very real.

So anyway, thought I would mention it to you guys in case anyone is interested in checking out their community.

You do not need any kind of medical background what so ever.
If you do then thats great but not necessary to be a part of the Medical Reserve Corp.
They do have doctors and nurses in the corp and you would be trained to help them if it was a medical situation, but sometimes they just need strong men or people to do loads of paperwork at a flu clinic or to deliver food supplies etc.
There is something for everyone

You do not have to be 18 either, if a parent gives consent for a younger child, I don't mean a 4 year old, but someone who is responsible enough to handle it and wants to then what the heck.
Its good for them to sign up just to even get some training under their belt, they are under no obligation to show up for anything ever.

I didn't even know they had this corp here until recently and thats when I signed up for it.
But its been around since the 911 disaster.
So the thing is, they had this program, which is a great resource and there are so many people who don't even know about it.
The woman in charge said they have alot of people in the corp now but there wasn't a whole lot of advertising and recruiting going on until recently.

So anyway, I thought this was interesting and worthwhile to pass on in case any of you are wanting to get involved in that way or even to learn about being prepared for yourselves.
 

keljonma

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Our county's Medical Reserve Corps was just created in March 2008. According to their website, the group is still developing their recruitment program.

Thanks for the information. I think I'll send the local director an email.
 

RTRChick

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Ohh that is some great information! I will be looking into it. Thank you
 

the simple life

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I had a workshop last week.
This one was for ourselves though so it was nice.
Usually all the training is for disaster response involving the population, but this was for our own households.
It was about preparing our homes in case of emergency and when we left we got tote bag/back packs full of all kinds of emergency equipment and first aid supplies.
On the way out the woman handed my husband and I a bunch of extra stuff and 2 more bags.
 

FarmerChick

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cool simple life
you acquired some extra prep stuff. always good to have. sounds like a good workshop!
 

makerofstuff

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All signed up for the March class. Thanks for the information. I don't know why I haven't checked FEMA's website before... now that how to deal with the anxiety that reading about what could happen...lol
This will help alot. I know of lots of people that won't have a clue and having more than a plan will be of great assistance to us.
 
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