The Medical Reserve Corp is part of a national network of volunteers that work within their community to strengthen public health, improve emergency response capabilities and build community resiliency during natural disasters or disease outbreak emergencies.
The Southeastern Utah Medical Reserve Corp covers Carbon, Emery and Grand Counties. “I’m the coordinator for basically for those counties and I have several responsibilities within that. However, I do have another coordinator that has this position that can help us out and coordinating I those counties specifically and work with about anyone within there,” said Health Department Emergency Manager, Robby Donaldson. “The Medical Reserve Corp is a group of medical professionals and others who can make in times of a disaster, can help hospitals, emergency medical systems, public health, pretty much when they are overwhelmed.” It’s not only disasters and emergencies but volunteers can assist with public health campaigns such as flu shot clinics, health screenings, as well as, emergency preparedness and response training.
“We’re always looking for trained technical people, especially those in the medical field. However, you’ll understand that behind every doctor there is a good team of nurses and clerks and physicians, P.A.s that help them along and we need all of them,” stated Donaldson. Other front-line and public health volunteers can range from dentists, pharmacists and mental health practitioners. Non-medical experienced individuals can still play an important role within the MRC. Those positions are labeled as support staff services through religious officials, fundraising professionals, security and traffic control, supply and logistic managers and workers; basically, where ever assistance is needed during a critical time.
“We want them to go on and look at the Southeast Utah Health Department Facebook page, like the page. We can get on, I will go and put on a way you can contact us,” said Donaldson. All individuals can offer some sort of skill they have that will make a benefit the community.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MEDICAL RESERVE CORPS FACEBOOK PAGE