Okaloosa-Walton Medical Reserve Corps

Volunteers Strengthening Our Communitys Emergency Preparedness and Response

Okaloosa-Walton Medical Reserve Corps

Following 9-11 attacks thousands of unaffiliated volunteers show up volunteering to assistNo ID or credentialNo coverage under liability lawsNo systematic trainingNo clear communications or management in placeHow Did it Start?

Asks American citizens to volunteer to support their country through the USA Freedom Corps2002 President George W. Bush State of the Union Speech

Nationally registered Fall 2006 under USA Freedom Corps and Dept. of Homeland Security Citizen CorpsBegan recruiting 6 months laterRepresents 2 countiesCurrently consists of 140 registered membersActively recruiting medical and non-medical membersOkaloosa-Walton Medical Reserve Corps

Okaloosa County Health Department is host organizationOWMRC is an independent organization was created to supplement local health/medical system during emergencies

Okaloosa Walton Medical Reserve Corps

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.OWMRC Mission

Establish the necessary organizational, operational and administrative procedures for the effective operation of OWMRCProvides 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 activitiesIdentifies and outlines professional specialties, qualifications and training needs for membershipOperations and Management Plan

To supplement emergency medical response to disasters and urgent public health needs.Points of Dispensing (POD)Alternative Medical Treatment Sites (AMTS)Triage Call Centers

MRC Why we need it

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

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

Centralized call-in for individual triage during epidemic/pandemicWill operate in place of Citizens Information LineStaffed by RNsWill be open concurrently with PODs and AMTSsTriage Call Center

Serve as OWMRC leadersProvide medical care, administer vaccines and dispense medicationsProvide health educationProvide counseling for victims, families and respondersPromote preparednessProvide administrative and logistical support

Roles for Volunteers

15 Primary Care Physicians15 Medical Doctors30 ARNP or PAs60 RNs60 LPNs60 CNAs10 Respiratory therapists10 Pharmacists10 Social Workers, mental health counselorsNon-medical (legal advisors, security, greeters, chaplains, interpreters, admin, etc)

Recruiting Goals

Community ServiceSkill Development opportunitiesPeer networkingCEUs available free County Health Department training classesParticipation in Okaloosa County Health Department exercisesBenefits to Volunteers

Protection during Federally/State declared disasters ensured by state/federal law: If volunteer acts within scope of practice of licensureIf volunteer follows policies/procedures of OWMRCProtection from Legal Liability

http://www.medicalreservecorps.gov/homepagehttp://www.doh.fl.ushttp://www.healthyokaloosa.org/services/emergency_preparedness.html

References