Volunteers needed for H1N1 influenza activities

CONTACTS:
Jody Ladd Craig, Public Affairs Director, jcraig@marc.org, 816/701-8241
Charlie Bryan, Emergency Services Volunteer Coordinator, cbryan@marc.org , 816/701-8334

Biagio Pagano, Unified Government Public Information Officer,913-573-6708, 913-944-0398 (cell phone)

Volunteers needed for H1N1 influenza activities
Nearly 100 volunteers registered as flu-support volunteers with the Medical Reserve Corps of Greater Kansas City on Sept. 19. Because of the high level of interest, the Medical Reserve Corps will hold a second registration event on Saturday, Oct. 3, from 2 to 6 p.m., at the Mid-America Regional Council, 600 Broadway, Kansas City, Mo.

In preparation for H1N1 and seasonal influenza, the Medical Reserve Corps of Greater Kansas City is hosting this volunteer registration center to register, train and credential volunteers who want to help support local public health agencies over the next six months.

“To help our community stay healthy during the 2009-2010 flu season, it will take all of us to support the work of our local public health agencies,” said Charlie Bryan, emergency services volunteer coordinator for the Mid-America Regional Council. “We were extremely pleased with the response from citizens on Sept 19 and want to provide an additional opportunity for citizens, leaders and members of community and faith-based organizations to help support the health and safety of our community by serving as flu-support volunteers.”

At the Oct. 3 event, people who want to volunteer will fill out registration forms and receive training and credentials. During large-scale public health emergencies, such as pandemic influenza, community volunteers may be needed to support a variety of activities, including:

Participating in vaccination clinics
Supporting community education and awareness campaigns
Helping individuals who show no signs of the flu understand principles of self isolation and quarantine operations
Assisting with home health monitoring for in-home isolations of individuals with flu symptoms when hospital services are unnecessary or unavailable
Providing support for those in need of essentials such as medicines, food, cleaning supplies, etc.
Staffing health department and community phone banks for citizen inquiries
Receiving, staging and storing medical supplies and vaccines
Practicing and promoting disease containment measures and infection control strategies such as hand washing and respiratory hygiene.

Interested citizens and disaster and emergency response volunteers are encouraged to attend the Volunteer Registration Center for Flu Support Operations, as are Citizen Corps volunteer partners in the following organizations:

Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT)
Medical Reserve Corps (MRC)
Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS)
Fire Corps
Neighborhood Watch programs
Members of KC Metro Community Organizations Active in Disasters (KC Metro COAD)

Leaders and members of community and faith-based organizations are also encouraged to participate.

Volunteers should expect to be in and out of the registration center within 30 minutes. In this time, volunteers will complete registration and an interview and will receive training and a photo identification badge. The expected term of service is six months, with an option to extend if flu support operations persist.

During the six-month term of service, volunteers should expect to receive regular and emergency communications by e-mail, voice and text. Volunteers will be matched to flu support opportunities based on skills, interest and availability.

More information about the national Medical Reserve Corps program is available at the Office of the Civilian Volunteer Medical Reserve Corps Web site, www.medicalreservecorps.gov. More information about the Medical Reserve Corps of Greater Kansas City is available at www.mrckc.org.

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