Volunteers needed for Medical Reserve Corps

GOSHEN, N.Y. » The Medical Reserve Corps Unit of the Orange County Health Department is seeking volunteers.

The Medical Reserve Corps is designed to supplement the Health Department’s personnel with volunteers who are medically and non-medically trained. The county’s Medical Reserve Corps became a registered unit in the federal Medical Reserve Corps program under the Office of the Surgeon General in 2006.

The county unit could be involved in operations or events requiring the mass distribution of antibiotics, antivirals and vaccine, with some of the distribution activities including writing prescriptions, dispensing other medications, conducting vaccinations, providing behavior health support and assisting with triage and treatment at a field hospital.

Non-medical personnel — clerical, translators, logistics, etc. — will also be used by the corps during an emergency or planned event.

Prospective members must be U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents and at least 16 years old.

Upon completing the application process, members must register with the state Health Commerce system and servNY system, complete the online course — Federal Emergency Management Agency independent study IS 700, IS 100a and the state Health Department’s Psychological First Aid PFA 100.

To retain membership, corps members must attend four activities annually, trainings or deployments, two of which must be related to points of distribution.

The unit conducts monthly trainings on the third Wednesday of each month, except in December, from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the county’s Emergency Services Center in Goshen.

For more information or applications, contact Recruitment Coordinator Peter Graziano at pete.graziano3@gmail.com or coordinator John Wood Sr. at jwood@orangecountygov.com.