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 Home > MRC Spotlights > Unit Spotlight - September 2006
When was the Unit Founded? The unit was founded in 2003. What Drives the Unit? The mission of the Tioga County Health Department MRC is to promote health and prevent illness and injury by having volunteers prepared to supplement the public health department’s response in an emergency or public health need. How Many Volunteers Does the Unit Have? The Tioga County Health Department MRC has 27 volunteers, consisting of nurses, emergency medical technicians, veterinarians, clergymen, and law enforcement personnel. How Large is the Unit’s Staff? The Tioga County Health Department MRC has a coordinator and administrative secretary who divide their time between the MRC and the county health department activities. Why was the Unit Selected? Tioga County evacuated residents from flooded areas in June 2006. The Tioga County Health Department MRC assisted housed evacuees in two American Red Cross (ARC) shelters. Nurse volunteers received just-in-time training for tetanus and diphtheria immunizations and worked with Tioga County Health Department nurses to provide more than 700 immunizations in support of the response. What are Some of the Unit’s Activities? Volunteers of the Tioga County Health Department MRC are required to be trained in National Incident Management System (NIMS)-700, Incident Command System (ICS)-100, and healthcare provider CPR. The unit advertises various opportunities for training and events available through county and community response partners. Volunteers can participate with the community partners they would work with in a real disaster. The MRC pays other agencies for training where fees are required, and several trainings are available online (e.g., ICS-100, NIMS-700, Introduction to Public Health). The MRC has held trainings as necessary, as with immunization training during the 2006 flood response. Currently, they are developing training courses for qualifying MRC volunteers to partner with their disease control staff members in communicable disease followup. The Tioga County Health Department MRC also participates in bioterrorism, disaster, and point-of-distribution exercises. These exercises allow volunteers to become familiar working with community response partners in a simulated emergency/disaster situation. What are Some of the Unit’s Accomplishments? The Tioga County Health Department MRC works with its community response partners to provide support in times of need. For instance, MRC volunteers are training with the local ARC chapters to staff special needs shelters. In addition, the Tioga County Health Department MRC is working on its ability to share volunteers with other counties during an emergency response.
Last Updated on 10/11/2006 |
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