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Collier County (FL) MRC Director Wins Davis Productivity Award

May 10, 2005

Davis Productivity Awards recognize and reward state government employees whose work significantly and measurably increases productivity and promotes innovation to improve the delivery of state services and save money for Florida taxpayers and businesses. The program is a major government improvement initiative chaired by Lt. Governor Toni Jennings and sponsored by Florida TaxWatch, The Florida Council of 100, and the State of Florida.

Since 1989, the Davis Productivity Awards program has publicly recognized and rewarded state employees and work units with cash, commemorative plaques, and certificates for making measurable improvements in the way they perform their duties and deliver services to Florida citizens.

Dr. Derrill Heiland received the reward as the Coordinator of the Collier County Health Department Medical Reserve Corps. He recruited and credentialed 140 Medical Volunteers to respond to Public Health needs during a natural disaster or bioterriorism incident. He designed the Collier County Health Department policy and questionnaire for the Personal Protective Equipment Screening Program. The program was implemented, saving the partner agencies $127,125 in medical examination costs. The coordinator contacted the Governor's office, Director of Health and the State Medical Board, to have the Governor amend his Proclamation of Emergency so out of state medical licensees could help during an emergency under the Department of Health. Because of this change, the MRC was able to deploy several out-of-state licensed physicians to help in disaster clinics in Vero Beach after the hurricanes.

When the Governor made his initial Proclamation of Emergency after Hurricane Charley, he stated "out-of-state licensed medical volunteers could work only under the direction of the Red Cross." This virtually eliminated any volunteers organized by local Health Departments or MRC units throughout the state. Amendments to his future proclamations will allow the local Health Departments to use out-of-state licensed volunteers in their area and send medical volunteers where needed. This benefits all citizens of the state and is what the Governor originally designed the law to accomplish.

The Director of the Health Department commented on the nomination, stating the following:

"The nominees' achievement deserves an award as he resolutely went about assuring that the state of Florida could use the planned for Medical Reserve Corps following four hurricanes damaging the state of Florida. It necessitated having the Governor amend his Proclamation of Emergency. It also involved educating lawyers and the Governor's staff of the existing limitations pertaining to the use of the Medical Reserve Corps personnel. This was all done in the shadow of tremendous devastation for other counties, numerous requests for assistance and willing Medical Reserve Corps volunteers eager to participate, yet the existing system preventing the use of these valuable resources. Had the nominee not been successful in his efforts to change the system and use our Medical Reserve Corps, then our program would probably have ceased to exist."

Last Updated on 5/26/2006