The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) was founded after President Bush’s 2002 State of the Union Address, in which he asked all Americans to volunteer in support of their country. MRC is a specialized component of Citizen Corps, a national network of volunteers dedicated to ensuring hometown security. Citizen Corps, along with the Corporation for National and Community Service, and the Peace Corps are all part of the President’s USA Freedom Corps, which promotes volunteerism and service throughout the nation.

MRC units are community-based and function as a way to locally organize and utilize volunteers – medical professionals and others – who want to donate their time and expertise to promote healthy living throughout the year and to prepare for and respond to emergencies. MRC volunteers supplement existing local emergency and public health resources.

MRC volunteers include medical and public health professionals such as physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, veterinarians, and epidemiologists. Other community members, such as interpreters, chaplains, office workers, and legal advisors, can fill other vital support positions.

What Can MRC Volunteers Do?

Support local public health initiatives and the goals of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Healthy People 2010, while advancing the priorities of the Surgeon General:

• Promoting disease prevention
• Improving health literacy
• Eliminating health disparities
• Enhancing public health preparedness

Assist local hospitals and health departments with surge personnel needs.

Participate in mass prophylaxis and vaccination exercises and community disaster drills.

Train with local emergency response partners.

And more…

If you are interested in volunteering, please complete the volunteer application and return to the Pueblo City-County Health Department by mail or fax.

The Medical Reserve Corps program is sponsored by the Office of the Surgeon General, in cooperation with the White House’s USA Freedom Corps and the Department of Homeland Security’s Citizen Corps. For more information on the Medical Reserve Corps visit the website at www.medicalreservecorps.gov

Pueblo’s Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) Unit was established in May 2006. There are over 200 volunteers with medical and non-medical backgrounds of all ages registered in the Unit. Volunteers participate in a variety of local activities including vaccination campaigns, disaster exercises, tabletop exercises on a variety of all hazards scenarios, and goal setting meetings.

To learn more about the Pueblo MRC, please visit the following link: http://www.medicalreservecorps.gov/detail.asp?id=469&State=7