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Guest column

Medical Reserve Corps will be needed in crisis

By MARC J. YACHT
Published March 20, 2006

Hurricane Andrew decimated South Florida in 1992 and established the need to shore up local emergency response efforts. The tragic deaths in the World Trade Center's destruction on Sept. 11, 2001, gave further emphasis and new responsibilities to local emergency responders. The anthrax deaths, along with West Nile Virus, SARS, and potentially bird flu can impact large populations. Communities need volunteer participation from properly trained health professionals to beef up the emergency response infrastructure.

In order to be useful, well-meaning volunteers have to be trained, and managed. Volunteer teams organized in advance of a potential disaster allow a better response.

The initial response to those affected after 9/11 could be best described as chaotic. In New York, thousands of injured, shocked, and/or emotionally distraught citizens flooded Manhattan hospitals and clinics. Emergency teams were overwhelmed by frightened citizens. Efforts to organize care were compromised. Gridlock hampered ambulances and emergency vehicles.

Thousands of frightened people exited New York and headed to New Jersey shores. They jumped aboard vessels piloted by boat owners and captains trying to help. It left local officials in New Jersey with the enormous task of receiving those passengers and meeting medical and other needs. The tragedy caught New Yorkers and the rest of the country shocked and unprepared.

Although many came to volunteer and help victims, those folks were untrained, disorganized, and often unqualified. Rather than provide assistance, the volunteers often enhanced the confusion. The attention given to utilize those offering help might delay treatment to the injured. Occasionally, healthy volunteers became injured victims.

As with Hurricane Andrew, Katrina's aftermath overwhelmed infrastructure support services. Many trained personnel worked to assist others in spite of personal losses. A prepared, trained and properly identified cadre of volunteers could have expanded assistance to the needy and possibly averted much tragedy and complaints of inadequate response.

U.S. natural disasters and the terrorist attacks have taught us the importance of trained volunteers. With mass casualties, traditional response teams are inundated and need additional qualified support. Individuals who wish to help need to be organized based on skills and trained to integrate with responders.

The Medical Reserve Corps Volunteers in Pasco is an organized group of volunteer health professionals who respond to local disasters and may assist with other community public health needs. Efforts to create Pasco's MRC started with a U.S. Surgeon General's grant after 9/11. Currently, 300 U.S. chapters exist throughout the nation with 40,000 volunteers. The focus of this program allows health care workers to use their skills in a volunteer setting.

The Pasco County Health Department's funding allowed a part-time position to recruit and train volunteers. Physicians, dentists, veterinarians, nurses, pharmacists, technicians, medical administrators, and other health professionals are desired.

The program will screen volunteers, provide identification, and make them familiar with the emergency response and command infrastructure. The county's Emergency Operation Center will appreciate a dedicated cadre of trained volunteer responders.

Volunteers will be matched based on skills and interest. They will be ready to assist should local tragedy strike. Their useful role during emergencies will be assured in their partnership with other career responders. Incidents could include but are not limited to hurricanes, floods, epidemics, major accidents and biohazard spills.

The volunteers would staff special needs shelters, flu clinics, health education efforts and indigent care clinics. Volunteers determine how they are used. Other activities for volunteers would involve board and committee responsibilities, planning for the response to potential disasters, and other tactical efforts.

The current Pasco County Medical Reserve Corps hopes to expand to a nine-county region. Thus far, about 100 volunteers have signed to participate. Jeff Strout, who coordinates the program for the Pasco County Health Department, has visited physicians, pharmacies, hospitals, clinics and other medically related providers to encourage participation.

Volunteers would be protected from liability through sovereign immunity and receive continuing education credits that may be available related to training and simulated exercises. The MRC invites you to get involved and make your community safer.

For more information, contact Jeffrey Strout, MRC Coordinator, 139 15th St., Dade City, FL 33425, or by e-mail at Jeffrey_strout @ doh.state.fl.us.

--Dr. Marc J. Yacht is director, Pasco County Health Department.

[Last modified March 20, 2006, 00:36:17]