Okaloosa-Walton Medical Reserve Corps

1. Okaloosa-Walton Medical Reserve Corps Volunteers Strengthening Our Community’s Emergency Preparedness and Response

2. How Did it Start? • Following 9-11 attacks thousands of unaffiliated volunteers show up volunteering to assist • No ID or credential • No coverage under liability laws • No systematic training • No clear communications or management in place

3. 2002 President George W. Bush State of the Union Speech Asks American citizens to volunteer to support their country through the USA Freedom Corps

4. Okaloosa-Walton Medical Reserve Corps • Nationally registered Fall 2006 under USA Freedom Corps and Dept. of Homeland Security Citizen Corps • Began recruiting 6 months later • Represents 2 counties • Currently consists of 140 registered members • Actively recruiting medical and non-medical members

5. Okaloosa Walton Medical Reserve Corps • Okaloosa County Health Department is host organization • OWMRC is an independent organization was created to supplement local health/medical system during emergencies

6. OWMRC Mission To engage health care professionals in helping the community prepare for, respond to, and mitigate emergencies, disasters, and urgent public health needs by providing a group of trained and readily available volunteer professionals who supplement and assist the local health and medical emergency response system.

7. Operations and Management Plan • Establish the necessary organizational, operational and administrative procedures for the effective operation of OWMRC • Provides guidance to OWMRC volunteers, medical practitioners, public health officials, emergency service personnel and others for the effective integration of volunteers in emergency medical operations and public health activities • Identifies and outlines professional specialties, qualifications and training needs for membership

8. MRC – Why we need it • To supplement emergency medical response to disasters and urgent public health needs. • Points of Dispensing (POD) • Alternative Medical Treatment Sites (AMTS) • Triage Call Centers

9. Points of Dispensing • Place where people can go to receive prophylactic medications or immunizations • Plans call for a PODS in north, central and south Okaloosa County • PODS require 44 workers per 12-hour shift • Setup can be in any existing building such as a school or a church.

10. Alternate Medical Treatment Site • Primarily for triage/minor treatment for epidemic/ pandemic respiratory illnesses • Intent: provide alternative treatment center to alleviate crowding of hospital ED. • Plans call for 30-cot AMTS in north, central and south Okaloosa County.

11. Triage Call Center • Centralized call-in for individual triage during epidemic/pandemic • Will operate in place of Citizen’s Information Line • Staffed by RNs • Will be open concurrently with PODs and AMTSs

12. Roles for Volunteers • Serve as OWMRC leaders • Provide medical care, administer vaccines and dispense medications • Provide health education • Provide counseling for victims, families and responders • Promote preparedness • Provide administrative and logistical support

13. Recruiting Goals • 15 Primary Care Physicians • 15 Medical Doctors • 30 ARNP or PAs • 60 RNs • 60 LPNs • 60 CNAs • 10 Respiratory therapists • 10 Pharmacists • 10 Social Workers, mental health counselors • Non-medical (legal advisors, security, greeters, chaplains, interpreters, admin, etc)

14. Benefits to Volunteers • Community Service • Skill Development opportunities • Peer networking • CEUs available free County Health Department training classes • Participation in Okaloosa County Health Department exercises

15. Protection from Legal Liability • Protection during Federally/State declared disasters ensured by state/federal law: • If volunteer acts within scope of practice of licensure • If volunteer follows policies/procedures of OWMRC

16. References • http://www.medicalreservecorps.gov/homepage • http://www.doh.fl.us • http://www.healthyokaloosa.org/services/emergency_preparedness.html