national medical reserve corps

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I just recieved information about a national medical reserve corps. Has anyone else heard or volunteer with them? What other medical volunteer organizations can I get involved with? I have tried Red Cross but our local branch never returns my phone calls or gets me info that I requested.

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There was a little write up about them in one of the local nursing magazines a year or two ago. All positive stuff. I'm not sure why I haven't been in touch with them, or if I've tried, but I know that I've also had the same response from the Red Cross- and I live directly between two chapters. Oddly, I see that my local unit is based at a hospital where I work prn. I think I'll contact them?

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Specializes in surgical, emergency.

I Southeast Ohio, I recently joined up with an Ohio Valley Medical Corp.

Right now, they tell me it's mostly in an organizational stage, kind of on paper only. They said that if a disaster took place they would not expect me to abandon my area, to go somewhere else if I was needed here.

Check with your local emergency management agency. Also check the homeland security web site, it's ready.gov I think.

I got involved becoming trained in CERT. Community Emergency Response Team. It's designed to help yourself, your family and neighbors in the time of disaster. Basic first aid, light search and rescue, etc.

I eventually became a trainer, teaching others, and am involved with our county citizen corp council.

Very cool stuff.

Mike

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Our state got a chunk of Homeland Security $$$ and have surveyed doctors, nurses, just about anyone that has a state license in the health area. After finding out if there was a willingness to help in a crisis, they sent out an on-line questionaire asking what we would do to help and what type of training we thought we would need to do it.

Nevada is such a high profile tourist destination and our emergency and health care resources are so stretched... I really worry about being a terror target. Wonder if other nurses feel that way about their home areas?

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Specializes in surgical, emergency.

I live in rural EastCentral/SouthEastern Ohio.

I'm not officially sure, but I believe we would be a soft target. Frankly not a lot here to really worry about, but I guess you never know.

Nearby is the cross roads of Interstates 70 and 77, at one time we were the largest interchange, in the country, I think.

I guess that could be a probem. We are a ways from Pittsburgh Pa, and a nuclear plant, believe there is one also to the north, near Cleveland. We could get evacuees and/or wounded in a situation there.

With farms and other chemical stores around, there's always issues.

Many possiblities anywhere you live I guess.

Mike

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The National Medical Reserve Corp. (http://www.medicalreservecorps.gov) is a reserve medical corp that was created after 9/11, and the antrax issues.

It headed by the US Surgeon General, and I think is along the lines of the Coast Gaurd Aux. Essentially, in a crisis the corp could activate individual units or personnel to help with providing medical care.

Other than that, I'm not sure of the specifics.

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The medical reserve corp. has been around for generations under various names. I had a great aunt who received her LPN as a member back in 1901.

Many of these volunteer opportunities have always existed there has just been a lack of interest by health care professionals to participate.

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The medical reserve corp. has been around for generations under various names. I had a great aunt who received her LPN as a member back in 1901.

Many of these volunteer opportunities have always existed there has just been a lack of interest by health care professionals to participate.

Hmm.. ok. I was just taking it off their website.

That being said, I know the US Public Health Service has been around forever.

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