Medical Reserve Corp

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An Introduction to the MRC

Thank you for your interest in the Medical Reserve Corps of Far Northern California. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a main office in Redding, CA.  We are continuing to develop our organizational foundations while reaching out to other North State counties who have express interest in joining our MRC unit. We started recruitment for volunteers in September 2008. The MRC is a national program with a local, community-based emphasis. Its mission is to support community efforts to utilize local medical and health volunteers during emergencies and at other times of community need. If you are interested in volunteering or if you would like more information about the corps, please contact the MRC Volunteer Coordinator, or call 246-2402. You can also visit our website Medical Reserve Corps of Far Northern California for more information and to download a volunteer application.

Why was the MRC created?
There was an outpouring of support for the emergency relief efforts after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Many Americans asked, "What can I do to help?" Medical and public health professionals were among those who wanted to volunteer their services, but many were not able to do so. Using public health and medical volunteers in emergencies requires an organized approach and these individuals were not known to the emergency management system. While they may have had very necessary skills and knowledge, they could not be used because they were not identified, credentialed or trained in advance.

The anthrax attacks in Fall 2001 reinforced the need for pre-identified and trained supplemental medical and public health personnel to assist with emergency operations such as mass antibiotic dispensing or mass immunization campaigns. The anthrax missions provided medications to almost 40,000 individuals. If these events were much larger, the Federal responders could have been overwhelmed and extra personnel may have been required.

To help meet these needs, the Medical Reserve Corps Program was formed in 2002, in cooperation with the White House's USA Freedom Corps, as one of the charter programs of Citizen Corps. Pre-identifying, training and organizing medical and public health professionals to strengthen their communities through volunteerism is at the core of the MRC concept. MRC volunteers offer their expertise throughout the year by supporting local public health initiatives, such as immunization and prevention activities. When a local emergency need occurs, MRC volunteers can work in coordination with existing local emergency response programs.

Now, with the MRC in place, a formerly untapped community resource, medical and public health volunteers, is functioning and available for the community to access in emergencies and for ongoing efforts in public health.

What is the typical MRC unit?
There is no "typical" MRC unit. Each unit organizes in response to their area's specific needs. A region's hazard threats, health concerns, and the organization in which the unit is established (health department, faith-based organization, etc.), will dictate what an MRC looks like. With community resources and partners that span a spectrum from local voluntary organizations to private corporations, the "face" of each MRC community is unique. However, the goals of the MRC are similar; units work toward bettering their local area's public health infrastructure and strengthening their response capabilities in the event of an emergency. The differences can be found in how each community reaches these goals.

How are the USA Freedom Corps, Citizen Corps and Medical Reserve Corps affiliated?
In his 2002 State of the Union Address, President George W. Bush announced the USA Freedom Corps, an initiative designed to promote and organize volunteerism and service in the United States. USA Freedom Corps is comprised of several organizations, including Citizen Corps, that work on different aspects of volunteerism. Citizen Corps is a national network of volunteers dedicated to making sure their families, homes, and communities are safe from terrorism, crime, and disasters of all kinds. The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), which organizes and prepares medical professionals for emergencies and works to strengthen the public health infrastructure, is a community-based and specialized component of Citizen Corps. MRC units, when possible, collaborate with their local Citizen Corps Council to better protect, prepare, and serve their communities. Other components of Citizen Corps include the programs Neighborhood Watch, Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS), and Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). On the national level, the MRC Program Office, headquartered in the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General, functions as a clearinghouse for community information and "best practices." The MRC Program Office offers technical assistance and educational resources, as well as partners with the National Program Office of Citizen Corps and the USA Freedom Corps to build relationships and gain resources for the MRC Program as a whole.

"Building a Healthier Community"

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