Geauga County Medical Reserve Corps

HomeMedical Reserve Corps

Mission

The mission of the Geauga County Medical Reserve Corps is to enhance the existing healthcare capabilities by collaborating with local response partners to provide an organized system of trained volunteers who would be activated in times of community need and who may be utilized to serve with public health outreach and education.

You are not required to provide volunteer services outside of Geauga County, however you can choose to assist within your county, region, state, and/or nation on the Ohio MRC application.

Benefits to the Community

Major local emergencies can overwhelm the capability of first responders, especially during the first 12-72 hours. Having citizens who are prepared to take care of themselves, their families and others during times of crisis will allow first-responders to focus their efforts on the most critical, life threatening situations.

An organized, well-trained Medical Reserve Corps unit means that volunteers can effectively respond to an emergency, are familiar with their community’s response plan, know what materials are available for their use, know who their partners in the response are, and know where their skills can be utilized to their best advantage and in a coordinated manner.

 

Results and Benefits Expected

Recruitment for the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) will be community-based and managed. The MRC seeks volunteers from various professional and non-professional backgrounds, including medical and non-medical, behavioral, public health, and support staff. The MRC will offer flexibility and allow volunteers to choose their desired level of participation and commitment.

The Geauga County MRC will be incorporated into the local Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) through the Emergency Operations Center (EOC). All emergency and disaster related functions of the MRC would be initiated through the EOC. The MRC will enhance and improve the emergency medical response capacity in the community. The program will enhance the region’s ability to respond to either a natural hazard or a terrorism event and be the designated volunteer corps utilized to provide surge capacity during public health emergencies. For example, responses could include mass vaccination or dispensing clinics; alternate care and/or triage facilities. With pre-planning, pre-identification of treatment sites ,and pre-identified, certified, and trained volunteers, a safe, rapid, and effective response will be available in a major emergency or disaster.

Volunteers