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 Home > MRC Spotlights > Unit Spotlight - Spring 2008
When was the unit founded? The Texas County MRC was founded in December 2006. What is the focus of the unit? The primary focus of the Texas County Medical Reserve Corps is to support the health department and local hospitals. Because the Texas County MRC serves a rural jurisdiction, the MRC would be the main source of support for the healthcare community. How many volunteers does the unit have? The Texas County MRC has a total of 36 volunteers with 14 being non-medical professionals. How large is the unit's staff? The unit's staff consists of the MRC Coordinator and MRC Director. Why was the unit selected? The Texas County MRC is just a little more than a year old, and serves a largely rural, nine-county area in southern Missouri. MRC Region VII Coordinator, Gary Brown, indicated that for a small unit in a rural area, "the unit is extremely active and is an asset to the area it serves". He also noted that the unit coordinator and volunteers are enthusiastic and highly motivated. The MRC has participated in emergency operations and non-emergency public health activities. The unit emphasizes training and has a robust training program. The Texas County MRC is a model small and rural MRC unit. What are some of the unit's activities? On April 29, 2008, the Texas County MRC was requested to participate in a Pandemic Functional POD Exercise in Mansfield, MO that involved dispensing medication. This was a great opportunity for the Texas County MRC as this was the first exercise they were invited to participate in. A total of seven medical and non-medical volunteers were involved. On March 18, 2008, the Texas County MRC had two nurse practitioners and one registered nurse staff a Red Cross special needs shelter in Piedmont, MO in response to flooding. This was the first time the unit was called to respond outside of their jurisdiction. Volunteers were deployed through the Department of Health & Senior Services (DHSS) for about 16 hours performing such tasks as evaluating patients, dispensing medication, providing tetanus shots, and disseminating information to the public. The Texas County MRC conducts volunteer trainings on a regular basis. Orientation is held for newly approved volunteers. In addition, volunteers are required to attend mandatory quarterly meetings to address core competencies that include such courses as "Are You Ready?" and "Introduction to Public Health". The Texas County MRC also holds optional monthly trainings for volunteers that have included such topics as hand held radio training, army tent assembly, and training on the unit's call down procedure. What are some obstacles that the unit has had to overcome? The biggest obstacle the Texas County MRC has dealt with is people not knowing about the MRC. Local entities that the unit would need to work with don't know how the MRC can help the community. Because the MRC leadership volunteers their time to the MRC, it is a challenge to go out and reach people to promote the MRC. The Texas County MRC is constantly going out to talk to the public, wearing their MRC shirts to promote the program. However, the fact that the Texas County MRC has been invited to participate in POD exercises is an indication of how the unit is beginning to be recognized as a community asset. Other interesting facts about the unit! The Texas County MRC also works closely with CERT and Citizen Corps to educate and train the public regarding self preparedness. The unit leaders are working with several mental health volunteers in an attempt to start a mental health team within the Texas County MRC. A big focus for the Texas County MRC is facilitating a MRC Coordinator at the state level. The Texas County MRC is participating in a meeting with their MRC Regional Coordinator, other Missouri MRC units, local health departments, the Missouri Hospital Association, the State Emergency Management Agency, and the Department of Health & Human Services to facilitate getting a MRC State Coordinator in Missouri. Last Updated on 6/25/2008 |
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