Volunteers
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Sullivan County Health Department
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“Volunteers Building Strong, Healthy and Prepared Communities”
What is the Medical Reserve Corps?
In the fall of 2007, the Volunteer Reserve Corps became the Sullivan County Health Department Medical Reserve Corps. The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) is a partner program of Citizen Corps, a national network of volunteers dedicated to ensuring hometown security. Citizen Corps along with AmeriCorps, Senior Corps and the Peace Corps are all part of the President’s USA Freedom Corps, which promotes volunteerism and service throughout the nation.
MRC units are community based and function as a way to locally organize and utilize volunteers- medical professionals and others – who want to donate their time and expertise to promote healthy living throughout the year and to prepare for and respond to emergencies.
MRC volunteers supplement existing emergency and public health resources. Assisting in vaccinating the community against annual flu and assisting with vaccinating against tetanus following significant flooding are both examples of how MRC units are utilized.
MRC volunteers include medical and public health professionals such as physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, veterinarians, and epidemiologists. Many community members—interpreters, chaplains, office workers, and others—can fill key support positions.
The office of the Civilian Volunteer Medical Reserve Corps is headquartered in the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General. Currently, there are 767 MRC units across the United States with over 160,000 volunteers with new units being added almost daily. Sullivan County Health Department MRC has approximately 50 members.
MRC units are provided specific areas to target that strengthen the public health infrastructure of their communities by the U.S. Surgeon General. These are outlined priorities for the health of individuals, and the nation as a whole, which also serve as a guide to the MRC. The overarching goal is to improve health literacy, and in support of this, he wants us to work towards increasing disease prevention, eliminating health disparities, and improving public health preparedness.
Recruiting NOW for Medical and Non-Medical Positions
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When every minute counts, the Sullivan County Health Department MRC will play a major role in:
- Setting up medication distribution centers
- Dispensing medications
- Administering vaccinations
- Providing information and support to the community
- Assisting with health screenings
Why should I join?
- As a first responder, your health and safety is a priority
- As a first responder, you will be among the first to receive critical updates on public health emergencies
- You will be part of the first group to receive recommended medications or vaccinations
- Make a difference in your community
- Team up with friends and colleagues
- Learn how to better prepare for a disaster
- Gain valuable training