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The Medical Reserve Corps and Response to Radiation Emergencies

The Medical Reserve Corps and Response to Radiation Emergencies. The Four Questions. What is the mission of the Medical Reserve Corps? H ow did MRC GEM get into the “radiation business”? What is a Community Reception Center (CRC)? What is the role of volunteers at a CRC?. In a Nutshell.

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The Medical Reserve Corps and Response to Radiation Emergencies

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  1. The Medical Reserve Corps and Response to Radiation Emergencies

  2. The Four Questions • What is the mission of the Medical Reserve Corps? • How did MRC GEM get into the “radiation business”? • What is a Community Reception Center (CRC)? • What is the role of volunteers at a CRC?

  3. In a Nutshell • MRC GEM a non-profit corporation working closely with local health departments, emergency managers, and homeland security. • We serve the health and emergency preparedness needs of Gwinnett, Newton, and Rockdale Counties.

  4. What is the mission of the Medical Reserve Corps?

  5. ORIGIN OF THE MRC • Created by the President in response to the attacks of September 11, 2001. • Begun with Federal grant program. • Component of the Citizen Corps, which is part of the USA Freedom Corps. • Guided by the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General.

  6. The term “first responder” was expanded in 2003 by Homeland SecurityPresidential Directive8. It now refers to those historically associated with the term (fire, LE, EMS, etc.) but now also includes emergency management, public health, public works, and other skilled support personnel who can provide immediate support during prevention, response, and recovery operations.

  7. PURPOSE OF AN MRC UNIT • Recruit, credential, and train volunteers before the time of crisis. • Strengthen communities by providing a ready reserve capacity to respond to emergencies. • Provides organized volunteer opportunities for local citizens. • Assist with ongoing public health needs by working to improve the overall health and wellbeing of communities.

  8. MRC ACTIVITIES • Emergency response planning • Assistance with ongoing Public Health activities and events • Meet staffing shortage gaps during Public Health emergencies • Provide surge capacity staffing during activation of the Modular Emergency Medical System (MEMS)

  9. WHO SERVES IN A MRC UNIT? • Volunteers who possess non-medical skills and diverse training backgrounds • Volunteers who are licensed active, inactive, or retired health care professionals • Public health professionals Anyone can join and make a difference!

  10. How did MRC GEM get into the “radiation business”?

  11. It’s all his fault! Dr. Armin Ansari

  12. Armin J. Ansari, PhD, CHP is a Health Physicist with the Radiation Studies Branch, Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, CDC. • He is an expert in radiation safety. • Armin’s work involves response to radiation emergencies. • He is also a member of MRC GEM.

  13. How did MRC GEM get into the “radiation business”? Dr. Ansari realized that: • Response to a radiation emergency would require a large number of trained personnel • There weren’t enough trained personnel to meet this need. • MRC is a perfect vehicle for making trained volunteers available to fill this gap.

  14. How did MRC GEM get into the “radiation business”? Armin experimented on us, holding several training sessions about radiation, the use of survey meters, and Community Reception Center concepts. This effort culminated in a large-scale exercise, complete with an affected population and a film crew to record it all.

  15. Daniel Barnett et al of the Johns Hopkins Preparedness and EmergencyResponse Research Center recently published a study "Gauging U.S.Emergency Medical Services workers' willingness to respond topandemic influenza..."

  16. Conclusions: If the workers: • understand the risks they face and how to protect themselves • understand the important, vital, critical role they play in the response they are far more likely to participate in a response effort.

  17. What is a Community Reception Center (CRC)?

  18. Community Reception Centers are the local response strategy for conducting population monitoring. • Multi-agency effort • Public health is the lead agency • Staffed by government workers and organized volunteers • Opened 24-48 hrs post event • Located outside of hot zone • Comparable to PODs, NEHCs

  19. Community Reception Centers • Services include: • Contamination screening • Decontamination • Limited medical care • Main purpose is triage: • Ease burden on hospitals • Manage scarce medical resources

  20. Population Monitoring • Begins soon after radiation incident reported • Continues until all potentially affected people monitored and evaluated for: • Medical treatment • Contamination • Dose assessment and health risks. • Long term health effects

  21. Origin CRC Endpoint Home Affected Area Public Shelter Surrounding Community Hospital or Alternate Care Site

  22. Community Reception Center Process Flow 7 Stations: Initial Sorting First Aid Contamination Screening Wash Contamination Control Zone Clean Zone Registration Radiation Dose Assessment Discharge

  23. Initial Sorting Staff identify people who have: Urgent medical needs High levels of contamination Special needs Decontaminated before coming to the CRC

  24. First Aid Medical staff care for and/or transport patients with urgent medical needs Life saving care takes priority! Do not delay transport for decontamination!

  25. Contamination Screening Staff screen people for external contamination using radiation detection equipment

  26. Wash Staff monitor and facilitate showering People wash themselves People with special needs may require additional assistance

  27. Registration Staff collect information for registry and long-term follow-up: Patient name Contact information Destination Proximity to event Time in affected area

  28. Radiation Dose Assessment Clinical and health physics staff: • Screen for internal contamination • Assess radiation exposure • Assess need for bioassay • Assess need for treatment • Prioritize for short-term follow-up

  29. Discharge Staff provide information for people discharged: Assess need for counseling Discharge to home or shelter Provide referral for further care

  30. Community Reception Center Process Flow Process can be adjusted to meet capabilities Instrumentation Personnel Additional processes can be added as needed or as possible Pets Relocation services Initial Sorting Area Emergency Medical Care or Transfer Survey and Monitoring Area Wash Station Area Registration and Dose/Medical Assessment Area General Registration Area Discharge Area

  31. vCRC Demo

  32. What is the role of volunteers at a CRC?

  33. What is the role of volunteers at a CRC? Almost any position could be filled by a trained volunteer!

  34. FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact: Sherwin Levinson 678-694-7652 Director@MRCGEM.COM

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