Headline

Ohio State Medical Association Supports Medical Reserve Corps

Franklin County-Columbus MRC Participates in Full-Scale Exercise

Ohio State Medical Association Creates Policy Supporting MRC

Stark County MRC Growing

Ohio Citizen Corps Activities across the State

MRC National Reorganization

New Medical Reserve Corps Unit

North Royalton CERT in Action

Profile: Delhi CERT

Northwest Ohio MRC Units Hold Joint Conference

Ohio Citizen Corps Meets with Ohio Department of Public Safety Director

Franklin County-Columbus MRC Participates in Full-Scale Exercise

First Responders, Emergency Management, Local Governments, Health Departments, Hospitals and other Community Partners teamed up on September 6, to conduct a full-scale exercise to test the community’s response to multiple explosive device incidents within Franklin County. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the State of Ohio Homeland Security Grant Exercise Program, this was the largest exercise of this type ever conducted in Franklin County.

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MRC volunteer Marjorie Kukor (right) talks to a mock victim
in the Volunteer Staging Area at Crew Stadium

A full-scale exercise means that actors play out parts of the event while actual police, fire and specialty response teams (such as the bomb squad and tactical units) respond as if it were a true incident. The “injured” volunteers are then transported to area hospitals for treatment, along with the support of our MRC mental health teams, to allow the hospitals to test their response plans as well.

As essential players in the Franklin County health response to emergencies, the MRC helped facilitate the event. More than 20 volunteers participated as health support, first aid nurses, and mental health service providers for volunteers participating as mock victims.

Many of those participating also helped test training materials for infectious disease and bioterrorism response.

Ohio State Medical Association Creates Policy Supporting Ohio Medical Reserve Corps

The Ohio State Medical Association (OSMA) during the 2007 OSMA Annual Meeting adopted a resolution regarding Physician and Medical Student Involvement in Public Health Preparedness and Disaster Response. Here is the adopted language.

RESOLVED, That the OSMA supports physician and medical student training, participation, and education in public health preparedness and disaster response; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That the OSMA promote the involvement of physicians who would not otherwise be engaged in acute care of victims of a disaster incident to participate in the Ohio Medical Reserve Corps in its mission to establish teams of local volunteer medical and public health professionals who can contribute their skills and expertise throughout the year as well as during times of community need.

OSMA support of the Medical Reserve Corps is another large step in expanding MRC outreach and sustainability for the program.

Ohio Medical Reserve Corps recognizes Heather Kaiser for crafting the language and encouraging OSMA to accept the policy.

Heather Kaiser

Ms. Kaiser is a a medical student at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. She is also pursuing a Masters in Public Health degree with special interest in health leadership and management and public health preparedness at Johns Hopkins University.
Thank you Heather for your hard work.

Stark County MRC is Growing

Stark County Medical Reserve Corps became an official unit last December and is operated at the Stark County Health Department.

In only one year, Stark County MRC made tremendous strides in recruitment and organization. More than 550 people signed-up for the unit and over 286 completed the necessary training.

Stark County MRC held three “Introduction to the MRC” or “MRC 101” trainings, with more scheduled for 2008. Volunteers also participated in two flu clinics this fall.

Members of the Stark MRC at a Training

Stark County MRC's recruitment success can be credited to internal efforts as well as positive "word of month" among volunteers. A quarterly newsletter is published and local MRC information can be found at www.starkhealth.org.

Stark County MRC is aggressively pursuing a plan for the utilization volunteers to help with procedures and staffing of the Volunteer Reception Center (VRC).

Stark County MRC by the Numbers:
Trained Volunteers:
Dentists-5
Nurses-220
Veterinarian-1
Mental Health Professionals-5
Non-Public Health/Non-Medical-13
Other Public Health/Medical-9
EMS Professionals-8
Physicians-16
Physician Assistant-3

TOTAL-286

Ohio Citizen Corps Activities across the State

Norma Price and Jane Young with CERT Trainer John Rogers
learning how to do a blanket carry.

Southern Ohio - Healthy and Safe KidsFests were held for Make A Difference Day Ohio in Gallia, Jackson, and Vinton counties. 1,250 participants were involved in the events including: children, parents, and different agency representatives. Agencies set up displays, provided trainings, and distributed informational materials.

CERT Trainer Stan Jones, President of Gallia Citizen Corps,
teaching fire suppression to a Boy Scout at the Healthy and Safe Kids Fest

Southern Ohio - Jackson County Citizen Corps sponsored a Fundamentals of Search & Rescue Training. The Citizen Corps is also working to develop a Southern Ohio Search & Rescue Team. Trainees spent two weekends learning to read compasses and topography maps while conducting mock searches in a variety of rural terrain.

Butler County – 50 participants took the Volunteer Reception Center (VRC) Training this summer. Butler County is currently holding quarterly meetings with a main objective of establishing a location for the VRC.

Clermont County – The Council staffed a booth at their County Fair in the summer. The Council also conducted a joint VRC / Point of Dispensing (POD) exercise this fall in conjunction with the Clermont County Health District. For educational purposes and to increase volunteer involvement Clermont CC holds quarterly membership meetings.

MRC National Reorganization

The United States Department of Health and Human Services and The Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management (ASAM) has approved a reorganization plan for Medical Reserve Corps.

The reorganization includes a new office, the Office of the Civilian Volunteer Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), which reports directly to the Surgeon General.

1. MRC's new focus directive indicates the following primary functions: Director serves as the principal advisor to the Surgeon General on activities related to civilian volunteers
2. Provides day-to-day management of the MRC and related grants programs
3. Maintains close relationships regarding MRC policy, budget and operations
4. Supports local efforts to establish, implement, and sustain MRC units nationwide
5. Provides national leadership and coordination of the MRC program
6. Promotes awareness and understanding of MRC units critical role in communities across the nation
7. Enhances the capacity of MRC units to achieve their local missions
8. Supports efforts to utilize willing, able and approved MRC members in a Federal response.

The Reorganization was necessary in order for MRC to better undertake efforts to expand the capacity of MRC units throughout the nation and establish a deployable cadre of MRC volunteers. This reorganization also acknowledges the growth of the program and recognizes its “dual use” for both ongoing public health activities and emergency preparedness and response.

New Medical Reserve Corps Unit

Welcome our newest Medical Reserve Corps unit, Ottawa County. The total number of MRC units is now 76 covering 80 counties. This provides Ohio with 91 percent coverage by local MRC units.

Ottawa County MRC
Christine Galvin
1854 E. Perry
Suite 300
Port Clinton, OH 43452
419.734.6645
chris.galvin@unitedwayottawacounty.org

North Royalton CERT in Action

The North Royalton CERT conducted a drug distribution drive- through exercise in October. More than 70 CERT members participated in the exercise, as well as local safety forces and a representative of the Cuyahoga County Board of Health. Approximately 90 vehicles drove through the drug pick-up line during the exercise.

The exercise was a valuable tool to publicize the need for public cooperation and participation during an exercise. Also, the practice helps ensure that CERT members will be ready in case of a real event.

The exercise received local television coverage as well as articles in the local newspapers.

Profile: Delhi CERT

Delhi CERT currently has 25 members and meets on the third Monday of the month for training. Jon Helmes is the CERT Coordinator, with three additional CERT Instructors, Sharon Reynolds, Greg Wright and Steve Weber.

Jon Helmes (right) Delhi CERT Coordinator showing Karen Feichtner (left)
how to shutoff the Natural Gas Meter.

Delhi CERT members have taken field trips for learning purposes, including the Hamilton County Communications Center.

Guest speakers have also addressed group. John Butterworth from Ohio Homeland Security discussed "See Something, Say Something" and Mary Jo Parker from the National Weather Service (NWS) in Wilmington provided Skywarn training (Skywarn is the NWS' Severe Weather Spotter Training Program).

Future guest speakers will include Jenny Rye from the Council on Aging Council of Southwestern Ohio, as well as a representative from Duke Energy, discussing power line safety and CERT's role.

Tim Seal (left) and Bob Foit from Duke Energy releasing gas bubbles into the air.

In September, Delhi CERT distributed literature to local businesses for National Preparedness Month. The CERT teams' work led to many businesses displaying preparedness information in their storefront windows.

Ohio Citizen Corps salutes the great work being done by Delhi CERT.

Northwest Ohio MRC Units Hold Joint Conference

The joint conference was a collaborative effort between six MRC Units in northwest Ohio (Williams, Defiance, Paulding, Putnam, Henry and Fulton Counties). The units were able to pool their resources together to fund the conference titled, "Building Partnership, Strengthening Lives." The conference was attended by 125 people.

Charlene Cassel, Ph.D., and Kris Buffington provided information and learning activities to enhance community responders’ ability to respond to the emotional and developmental needs of children and families in disaster.

Judson Laipply, famous for his YouTube video, “Evolution of Dance” spoke on Life Change. His presentation was inspiring, uplifting and quite entertaining.

Stephen Post, Ph.D., author of "Why Good Things Happen to Good People" presented shared results of his research that generosity is the key to health, happiness and a long life. Each participant received a copy of Dr. Post’s book.

Presenters Kris and Charlene stated they enjoyed the conference, both as presenters and as members of the audience. They said it was an “empowering, relaxing, and positive experience.”

Ohio Citizen Corps Meets with Ohio Department of Public Safety Director

Ohio Citizen Corps Council Chair, Kitty Burcsu and communications staff met with Ohio Department of Public Safety Director, Henry Guzmán in early December. The meeting was used as an information session to brief the new director on Ohio Citizen Corps activities and infrastructure. Items discussed were background checks, funding, volunteerism and outreach to the special needs and diverse communities of Ohio.

Director Guzmán stated he saw the contribution first-hand of an organized citizen volunteer response and Ohio Citizen Corps during the northwest Ohio flooding in the summer. He was pleased to know a volunteer response can be conducted through OCC's statewide database.

Ohio Community Service Council Communications Director John Poole,
ODPS Director Henry Guzmán, OCSC Director Kitty Burcsu, and
Paul Bender, Public Relations, Ohio Citizen Corps

At the end of the meeting, and to the surprise of the Citizen Corps Team, Director Guzmán summoned a photographer to capture the presentation of plaque in appreciation of Ohio Citizen Corps' efforts during National Preparedness Month.