Your Questions and Answers
A Guide for the Future Volunteer
Why should I become an MRC volunteer?
Volunteers are the
very heart of the MRC. The existence and bounding growth of this nationwide,
community-based movement is due to the willingness of volunteer, non-medical,
medical and public health professionals to serve their communities in times of
need. Without that generous offer of service, the MRC would fail to exist.
Communities benefit exponentially
from MRC volunteers that are ready to respond for many reasons, but some
volunteer for the MRC because:
þ
It is a way to offer your skills that
might not otherwise be able to be used because of being inadequately prepared to
be part of the emergency response effort. By being a MRC Volunteer, you become
recognized as a credentialed volunteer.
þ
It is a significant benefit to
communities because skilled credentialed volunteers offer services during the
year to augment existing public health efforts or provide emergency backup that
would not otherwise be available.
þ
It is personally fulfilling and
satisfying to belong to a group of persons who have a strong sense of mission
and purpose.
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Do I have to
live in Sedgwick County to be a volunteer?
No, you do not have to reside in Sedgwick County.
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Are there any fees or
costs to volunteer?
No. There are no fees, dues or other mandated
costs to be a MRC volunteer. You will be provided uniform shirts and hat
amongst miscellaneous other supplies upon completion of the required application
and acceptance process.
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Who volunteers for the
MRC?
The MRC program seeks all kinds of volunteers with
various training and skill sets to assist with emergency preparedness and
response efforts. Volunteers in the MRC program include:
þ
Practicing, retired, or otherwise
employed medial professionals, such as doctors, nurses, emergency medical
technicians, pharmacists, dentists, veterinarians, behavioral health, nursing
assistants, phlebotomists, medication aids, and others
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Practicing retired or otherwise employed
public health professionals such as nurses, physicians, educators,
epidemiologists, investigators, and others.
þ
Community members such as retirees,
parents or partners, translators, clerical, computer, educators, clergy, college
students, managers, clerks, general laborers, military personnel and others.
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Do you have to be a US
citizen to volunteer?
No. United States citizenship is not required to
be part of the MRC. Both Citizens and Non-citizen, legal U.S. residents who are
over the age of 18, who do not hold specific felony convictions are welcome to
volunteer and contribute their time, knowledge, expertise and skills to
protecting and improving their communities.
Licensure verifications and criminal background
checks will be completed on applicants.
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Do I have to have medical
skills to volunteer for the MRC?
No. The MRC program seeks non-medical volunteers
to assist with emergency preparedness and response efforts. Non-medical
volunteers are critical in achieving success in the response effort and in the
success of the MRC. Non-medical volunteers fulfill other important needs such
as translators, computer assistance, clerical support, health education,
stocking supplies, managing clinic flow, etc. Everyone’s skills are valued and
needed and the non-medical volunteer provides a critical resource for essential
support functions.
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What kind of MRC
volunteers with a medical or healthcare background might be needed in an
emergency?
Emergencies can overwhelm the
capabilities of first responders and hospitals, particularly during the 72
hours. When meeting the challenges of “surge” capacity, staffing a mass
pharmaceutical or vaccination clinic, medically trained volunteers play an
important role. They have the ability to augment staff shortages at facilities,
which will improve the overall response.
Possible types of “front-line:
medical and public health volunteers include:
þ
Physicians (Specialists, Surgeons,
Osteopaths)
þ
Physician Assistants
þ
Nurses (NP, ARNP, RN, LPN, NA)
þ
Pharmacists, Pharmacy Assistants
þ
Dentists, Dental Assistants, Dental Hygienists
þ
Optometrists, Ophthalmologists
þ
EMT, MICT, etc.
þ
Public Health Workers
þ
Epidemiologists
þ
Infectious disease specialists
þ
Toxicologists
þ
Behavioral Health Practitioners
þ
Health educators/communicators
þ
Veterinarians
þ
Radiologists, Radiology Techs
þ
Phlebotomists and Lab Techs
þ
Other
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What kind of MRC
volunteers without a medical or healthcare background might be needed in an
emergency?
Volunteers without a medical or healthcare
background typically serve their community by assisting with administrative and
other essential support functions. Possible types of administrative and other
support volunteers include:
þ
Administrators and business managers
þ
Administrative assistants and office support
staff
þ
Drivers
þ
Chaplains
þ
Training
þ
Volunteer coordinators
þ
Supply Management/Disbursement
þ
Interpreters and translators
þ
Amateur radio operators
þ
Health Education
Instruction/Facilitation
þ
Managing Clinic Flow
þ
Traffic Flow Management
þ
Other.
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Will being an MRC
volunteer interfere with my regular job and/or can I be a volunteer for more
than one organization?
We recommend that volunteering for non-emergency
activities should not conflict with your regular employment or other mandatory
obligations to another volunteer organization.
During a public health emergency,
you will possibly be needed during times that you would normally be at work or
if you are a member of another volunteer organization, which also may be
requesting your response. You should discuss this possibility with you
employer/organization and understand their policy and procedure for regarding
volunteering, so that you as a MRC volunteer, are prepared in advance of an
event.
The MRC understands that you may
volunteer for more than one organization and that you may be in a field that
mandates your presence. We ask only that we be informed of your primary
obligation in the event of an emergency. We may also contact you to find out
your potential availability during an event.
Also, see
“As a MRC volunteer, what happens if I am not
available when called upon?”
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What kind of training
will volunteers receive?
Emergency preparedness and response is a highly
coordinated effort that allows communities to maximize their capabilities during
stressful extraordinary times. In most cases, training as a MRC volunteer
focuses primarily on learning local emergency and health procedures, use of
specialized equipment, Incident Command System, Bloodborne Pathogen, CPR, and
other training to enhance volunteer effectiveness and self-preparedness. Other
opportunities for training might include shelter management, emergency
exercises, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT),
decontamination, and many more.
Perhaps the most important part
of training is learning how to work as a team.
All volunteers without a current
license to practice in the healing arts will need to obtain training and
certification in First Aid from a nationally recognized provider (such as the
Red Cross, the American Heart Association, etc.) This training/certification
helps to cover the volunteer for liability purposes.
Only volunteers who are “active”
status will be called to volunteer in an emergency. To be considered active
status, please see the current
TRAINING CURRICULUM.
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Are there core
competencies required to become an MRC volunteer?
Yes. The MRC along with the National Association
of Cities and County’s Health Offices (NAACHO) has developed a core competencies
guide. For information on the
MRC CORE
COMPETENCES.
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Does MRC participate in
events or activities where there isn't an emergency?
Yes. MRC volunteers have
opportunities to contribute to their communities throughout the year.
MRC volunteers strengthen the
overall health of their community by participating in general public health
initiatives such as flu vaccination clinics, fostering disaster preparedness,
and providing various health education and free Blood Pressure checks at health
fairs. Volunteers also participate in exercises, training and active
recruitment.
The U.S. Surgeon General has
outlined his
priorities for the health of individuals and the nation as a whole. The overarching
goal is to improve health literacy, and in support of this, he encourages MRC
volunteers to increase disease prevention, elimination of health disparities, in
addition to public health preparedness.
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What will I be doing as
an MRC volunteer?
Volunteers are critical during emergency event
response and during non-emergency times.
During a public health
emergency, MRC volunteers will help staff an emergency vaccination or
pharmaceutical distribution clinic. Some functions will include mass
vaccination or distribution of pharmaceuticals to the public, medical screening,
patient education sessions, directing client flow, registering clients, data
entry, stocking supplies, running supplies, management of traffic flow, respite
area, assisting in “surge”, etc.
During times of non-emergency,
volunteers can be local “ambassadors” for public health. We will match
volunteers’ skill levels and interests to the need. Some activities might
include assisting with flu clinics, providing education sessions, or
presentations on special health topics, assisting patients with specific
health-related programs, participating in health fairs, promoting immunization
campaigns, as well as other possibilities that may be presented.
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As a MRC volunteer, what
happens if I am not available when called upon?
MRC volunteers do not have to be
available all the time. Some volunteers may only be interested in making a
minimal commitment during times of crisis or for other specific community needs
or events. These preferences are respected. Also see
"Will being an MRC volunteer interferer with my regular job and/or can I be a
volunteer for more than one organization?”
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How many hours will I
be volunteering?
During a public health emergency,
it will depend upon the magnitude of the situation and the need. For example,
only one vaccination clinic may be sufficient to fulfill the emergency need, or
several may be needed. It will also depend upon how many hours the clinic may
operate in a 24-hour period. Shifts will be scheduled for all clinic workers
and volunteers.
Non-emergency volunteer
opportunities will vary in the amount of hours a volunteer is needed; however,
there is room for flexibility to accommodate volunteer’s schedules.
MRC members are asked to
volunteer in one non-emergency activity each year.
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Will I be paid for my
services?
MRC
volunteers are not paid. Volunteers willingly give of the time for the benefit
of others. As an MRC volunteer, you will be provided items such as MRC uniform
shirts, hat, and identification. In addition, in the event of a public health
emergency, activated MRC volunteers and their immediate family members will
receive emergency prophylaxis.
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Are tax credits
possible for volunteering with the Medical Reserve Corps?
Yes. Volunteers in the United
States may receive tax deductions from the federal government on many costs
associated with volunteering, such as mileage, parking fees, and other
expenses. Uniforms and various other items are tax deductible if the volunteer
purchases his/own. These deductions apply only if you are not receiving
reimbursement for expenses and are filing an itemized tax form (not the
1040EZ). When volunteers drive their personal vehicle to carry out volunteer
duties, including to and from trips to their volunteer service, the IRS permits
a deduction of 14 cents per mile (IR-2006-168). MRC volunteers who want a tax
deduction should keep a detailed written record of mileage for the performance
their volunteer duties. Please, ask your tax preparation specialist for more
information on deducting volunteer expenses and you can go to the web at
www.irs.gov.
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What about
liability for MRC volunteers?
The law relating to liability
coverage varies from state to state. At this time, a uniform policy of
protection for MRC volunteers across the nation does not exist. During the
state of a declared public health emergency, MRC volunteers would most likely
fall under the provisions of two Kansas laws: The Good Samaritan Act,
specifically K.S.A. 65-2891, and the Emergency Preparedness for Disasters Act,
specifically K.S.A. 48-915. Both of these provisions g generally provide
protection form liability during an emergency, except in cases of gross
negligence.
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I am interested in
becoming a MRC volunteer. What do I do first?
The first step in becoming an MRC
volunteer is to complete the MRC volunteer application. The application can be
submitted on line by clicking on
VOLUNTEER FORM.
Alternatively, if you would rather print, complete then mail it that is
perfectly acceptable.
Once the application is received,
a short interview will be conducted and specifics will be verified.
Once
approved, you will be notified and asked to make an appointment for orientation
and completion of your file. After orientation, you will receive your uniform
shirts, hat, and miscellaneous items.
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How do I contact my
MRC?
Sedgwick County Medical Reserve
Corps
1530 S. Oliver, Suite 130
Wichita, Kansas 67218
Phone: 316-660-7344
Fax: 316-660-5550
Email:
MRC@sedgwick.gov.
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Sedgwick County Medical
Reserve Corps
last update:
04/30/08
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