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MRC Volunteers Host Walkathon in Honor of Diabetes Awareness Month. 6 ....Lincoln .... actors were given a script that d
VOLUME 8, ISSUE 1 ■ WINTER 2014

MRC IN FOCUS VOLUNTEERS BUILDING STRONG, HEALTHY, AND PREPARED COMMUNITIES

MRC Units Respond in the Aftermath of Midwest Severe Weather More than 70 tornadoes, ranging in intensity from EF1 to EF4, tore across seven Midwest states on Nov. 17, creating the fourth largest November tornado outbreak in the United States on record. The tornadoes caused at least seven fatalities and millions of dollars in damage, and were part of a larger storm pattern that also affected portions of the eastern United States. Fortunately, many nearby MRC volunteers were ready to help their neighbors in the aftermath of the severe weather. Several MRC units shared how they assisted: Village of New Lenox MRC (IL) volunteers partnered with members of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and the local Search and Rescue Team to organize a donation drive for Diamond and Coal City tornado victims. From Nov. 18-22, 80 volunteers donated over 300 hours to assist with unloading, sorting, and delivering donated goods. Volunteers accepted donations at the New Lenox Police Department and used the New Lenox Community Park District’s 14-foot box truck to drive donations to the donation center in Wilmington.

Village of New Lenox MRC volunteers load donations

By the end of the donation drive, volunteers made more than 10 trips, delivering essential items for tornado victims including clothing, cases of water, paper towels, cleaning supplies, and food. Five volunteers from Douglas County MRC (IL) responded to the tornado outbreak by helping the local Emergency Management Agency office answer calls and direct people to services and assistance. In the three days following the tornado outbreak, the MRC unit also conducted damage assessments and removed debris in affected neighborhoods. Four AmeriCorps volunteers from Champaign County MRC (IL) responded in the two weeks following the tornadoes. During this time, they gave out tetanus shots, offered massage therapy, and provided trash hauling and disposal services. The wild weather pattern also caused an ice and snow storm in Michigan. Following a loss of electricity, Burt Township MRC (MI) volunteers set up warming shelters for seniors, families, and disabled residents in Grand Marais. The warming shelters were especially critical since the community is relatively isolated on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and is prone to lake effect snow and blizzards. During the 24-hour power outage, six volunteers staffed shifts throughout the day, and 20 additional volunteers waited on standby.

Volunteers sort donations

WHAT’S INSIDE:

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....Oregon MRC Units Partner with American Red Cross for Shelter Exercise ....New Orleans MRC Volunteers Staff Freeze Shelter ....MRC Volunteers Host Walkathon in Honor of Diabetes Awareness Month ....Lincoln Trail MRC Demonstrates Healthy Meal Preparation for Local Families ....A Look Back at 2013: The Impact of the MRC in Photos

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National Notes Dear Colleagues,

CAPT Rob Tosatto, Director Division of the Civilian Volunteer Medical Reserve Corps

Volunteering and national service are key and cost-effective means of resolving some of our nation’s most difficult challenges. I am proud that the MRC is at the forefront of demonstrating at the local level how empowering volunteers can ensure the health and safety of our communities.

I am aware that many MRC units planned and conducted events for the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Day of Service this January, as well as during the 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance last September. I applaud your involvement in these national level events that encourage service, highlight the accomplishments of the MRC, and promote partnerships with complementary community organizations.

volunteering and service programs across the Federal government, create interagency agreements, and identify potential public-private partnerships. We are excited by the potential of this work for the MRC and the nation to further advance the ideals of service to our communities. I must thank you for continuing to share your activities with us, as it is this information that we use to demonstrate the value of the MRC network with our leadership chain and to raise awareness and understanding of the MRC with stakeholders and potential partners. Your activities clearly show the impact that MRC volunteers have in their communities. I encourage you to recognize the accomplishments of your volunteers throughout the year, but particularly during National Volunteer Week (April 6-13), the 40th anniversary of this observance. Because National Volunteer Week is the only observance specifically for volunteers, it is a great occasion to highlight the service of MRC volunteers while demonstrating their importance to communities nationwide. Again, I applaud your service and dedication to the MRC and to your communities. MRC units and volunteers are playing an important role in making this a healthier, stronger, and more resilient Nation. Warmest regards,

Last July, President Obama established the Task Force on Expanding National Service. This Task Force seeks to develop strategies to expand national service opportunities, recommend ways to coordinate

NACCHO Resources Network Profile of the MRC to be Released in March Did you know that 69 percent of MRC volunteers are women? NACCHO’s upcoming “Network Profile of the Medical Reserve Corps” report will share more statistics about the national network upon release in March 2014. In the spring of 2013, 87 percent of MRC unit leaders participated in NACCHO’s MRC Network Profile survey. Thanks to this outstanding response rate among MRC unit leaders, NACCHO has been able to gain a greater understanding of the MRC network as a whole, and to identify where MRC units need additional assistance when carrying out their local missions.

It will also provide more insight into how MRC units fit into the larger MRC network, and the necessary information to speak to partners, funders, and the media about the value of the MRC network overall, and the critical roles MRC units fill at the local level. NACCHO thanks all of the MRC unit leaders who participated in the MRC Network Profile survey. Stay tuned for more information about the release of the report!

31%

The upcoming report will highlight the characteristics of the MRC network, including unit, leader, and volunteer demographics; funding and finances; partnerships; recruitment, screening, training, and communications processes; activities and services; and legal protections.

69% 69% of MRC volunteers are women

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Oregon MRC Units Partner with American Red Cross for Shelter Exercise On Oct. 12, MRC units from Linn, Marion, and Yamhill counties in Oregon came together with the American Red Cross to test joint-deployment capabilities in a full-scale shelter exercise. The scenario for this drill was that a flood prompted the evacuation of certain neighborhoods in Salem. These neighborhoods had a large population of individuals with functional and chronic medical needs. The driving force for the exercise came from a recent federal mandate requiring American Red Cross shelters to accept individuals with functional needs, care for them, and integrate them into the shelter’s general population. The Oregon Willamette Chapter of the American Red Cross, like many other chapters, does not have the necessary staff to provide appropriate care for these individuals and reached out to discover how the MRC could assist. In the exercise scenario, 1,000 residents were evacuated from a flooded neighborhood, and Oregon Emergency Management requested that the American Red Cross set up a 100-bed shelter. American Red Cross and MRC volunteers mobilized and began setting up the shelter. In addition to areas typically found in a shelter, 20 Marion County MRC volunteers erected an infirmary to diagnose and treat evacuees. Eleven Linn County and four Yamhill County MRC volunteers created a client services station dedicated to finding durable medical equipment, consumable medical supplies, and other critical resources that individuals left behind during the evacuation. Within an hour of arriving onsite, the volunteers were ready to receive evacuees. Only twenty community members acted as evacuees to ensure that the exercise challenged systems of operation without overwhelming them. Ten of these

Volunteers participate in the exercise

actors were given a script that described a functional need or chronic condition and were asked to role play. Challenges that arose during the exercise illuminated gaps in the American Red Cross’ and MRC’s joint preparedness efforts, including significant differences between unit and agency operations, communications, and planning. Regardless, all volunteers adapted quickly, processed the exercise evacuees, and maintained appropriate standards of care. The specific lessons learned in this exercise will be made available to other MRC units soon.

News from NACCHO NACCHO Developing a New Online Platform for the MRC Are you looking for a new way to track logistics for your MRC events? In summer 2014, NACCHO will launch a resource to help MRC unit leaders and volunteers manage the logistics and tracking of events and trainings via their smartphones and a new online system. NACCHO is working with Rallyware, a company that has created online systems to engage decentralized networks similar to the MRC, to develop this new online platform to connect users with others throughout the national MRC network. The new web and mobile-based application is an optional resource to help MRC unit leaders manage important event details, share information about your unit, and track previous events and achievements. Users will be able to enter into various communities, similar to LinkedIn groups, based on interests and location. MRC unit leaders can opt to invite volunteers and partners

who are interested in joining the communities to increase engagement and best practice sharing. Additionally, users will be able to communicate with others via open discussion or private message. Stay tuned to the MRC listserv for more information about the new platform and a sneak preview of images.

Proposed design of the communities page

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New Orleans MRC Volunteers Staff Freeze Shelter From Jan. 6–7, the City of New Orleans activated its freeze plan after temperatures dropped below 35 degrees for more than four consecutive hours.

Freeze shelter

During the freeze plan activation, normal building capacity limits for homeless shelters are waived, and the New Orleans Health Department monitors the capacity of the shelters to ensure availability for those in need. A local nonprofit organization for the homeless and the New Orleans Police Department’s homeless liaisons drove around the city to pick up homeless individuals and transport them to the shelters, resulting in 639 people who took shelter during the freeze. Once the local homeless shelters reached capacity on Jan. 7, the New Orleans Health Department opened an overflow freeze shelter.

Four New Orleans MRC members worked in the overflow freeze shelter, which served 18 individuals during its hours of operation from 8PM to 6AM. Two women in the shelter were pregnant, and members of Healthy Start New Orleans staff provided them with needed resources to seek medical and social services. Additionally, two individuals were ill, and Health Department staff referred them to Healthcare for the Homeless, a City-run direct care provider, for further treatment. “The New Orleans Medical Reserve Corps provided the professional manpower needed to successfully operate a shelter and care for some of the most vulnerable in our community during these extremely cold temperatures,” said Charlotte Parent, Director of the New Orleans Health Department.

Learn about Partnerships, Coalitions, and Volunteers in Disaster Response at the 2014 Preparedness Summit NACCHO and the DCVMRC are two of the partners hosting this year’s Preparedness Summit, which will take place April 1-4 in Atlanta. This year’s Summit schedule is packed with a wide array of sessions that provide learning opportunities for professionals working in all aspects of preparedness. Of particular interest to MRC attendees may be sessions focusing on partnerships, coalitions, and volunteers in disaster response that highlight innovative approaches to engaging volunteers, forming unlikely partnerships, and mobilizing coalitions to meet community preparedness needs and respond effectively in a disaster. Some of the MRC unit leaders who will present about their experiences with the MRC include: n Bringing Medical Reserve Corps Units to Rural Areas and Tribal Nations: David Byrnes, MRC of Eastern Washington n Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response Involving Medical Reserve Corps Volunteers: Kristin Magnussen, Ledge Light Health District MRC n Radiation Preparedness Training and Implementing Community Reception Centers: Sherwin Levinson, MRC GEM

Other sessions that may be of interest to MRC volunteers include: n Family Assistance Center Planning: Taking Ownership and Planning with Partners: Hear about engaging representatives from healthcare, public safety, and governmental and non-profit agencies to develop a Family Assistance Center. n Keeping the Faith: Model Practices for Public Health to Partner with Faith-Based Organizations to Increase Flu Prevention among Hard-to-Reach Populations: Identify the benefits of working with faith-based organizations. n Public-Private Partnership in Emergency Preparedness Planning: Examine the challenges in collaborating with government agencies and the private sector to protect the public during disasters. Stay tuned for updates from NACCHO about the 2014 Preparedness Summit. View the full schedule and learn more about the Summit at preparednesssummit.org.

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MRC Volunteers Host Walkathon in Honor of Diabetes Awareness Month On Nov. 10, the Colby-Sawyer College MRC Club, an affiliate of the Greater Sullivan County MRC (NH), organized the “Walk New London Diabetes Project,” a public walkathon in honor of Diabetes Awareness Month. College MRC Club President] Kaho and her peers for taking the initiative to help spread awareness of and support diabetes,” said Laurie. “It was a great way to bridge the community with the college and we are sure it will be bigger and better next year.” Colby-Sawyer MRC Club volunteers

The walkathon was created to encourage healthy lifestyle initiatives, and brought together students and the greater New London community. The MRC also raised funds for the American Diabetes Association at the event. Approximately 20 Colby-Sawyer College MRC Club members organized the Walk New London event, and 15 members volunteered the day of the event. The event drew over 50 college and community members to participate in the three-mile walk. During the walk, MRC members were stationed along the route to provide water and encouragement, and welcomed participants at the end with a hand printing and photo session.

As an affiliate of the Greater Sullivan County MRC, the Colby-Sawyer College MRC Club was formed when Kaho Onomichi, an international student from Japan, interned with the Greater Sullivan County MRC office in summer 2013 and started the MRC Club at Colby-Sawyer College. Collaborative work with college students can be one of the most effective and successful means to increase MRC volunteers in a sustainable manner. As such, 43 students joined the MRC Club upon its formation. These club members later voted to become actual MRC members, doubling the Greater Sullivan County MRC’s membership. The Walk New London event was the first event for the Colby-Sawyer College MRC Club, and members are looking forward to hosting a second community walkathon.

Community members were especially thankful that the Colby-Sawyer College MRC Club brought this event to the New London community. Laurie Stadler and her family participated in the walk in support of daughter Addy. “As parents to a daughter recently diagnosed with diabetes, we are eternally grateful to [Colby-Sawyer Community participants in the walkathon

MRC-TRAIN Using MRC-TRAIN to Identify Trainings for Volunteers There are many training opportunities, both online and in-person, on MRC-TRAIN (www.mrc.train.org), the learning management system provided by the DCVMRC to all MRC unit leaders and volunteers. MRC-TRAIN also offers tools to help identify applicable, affordable, and accessible trainings for MRC units, in accordance with Factor for Success 7.2 (Identify Training Sources). Once logged in, the Advanced Search link on the top righthand side will offer detailed searching of the course catalog by categories such as the MRC Core Competencies. Search results will also display reviews by previous course-takers on the right-hand column, with additional details available in the Reviews tab of the Course Details. In addition to encouraging volunteers to locate courses

that meet their individual and overall unit needs through the Advanced Search, unit leaders can develop and assign training plans to volunteers. By developing a training plan in MRC-TRAIN, volunteers are directed to a specific curriculum that outlines trainings that will meet the needs of the unit, including courses posted by national organizations and by the unit. A Training Plan Guide is available at http://bit.ly/MRCTrainingPlanGuide. Additional information on MRC-TRAIN is available on the MRC website and MRC-TRAIN. The MRC-TRAIN Support Desk ([email protected]) is available to provide assistance and field questions, including how to create a training plan. Remember, MRC-TRAIN is FREE (including many CEUs), available 24/7, and on track!

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Lincoln Trail MRC Demonstrates Healthy Meal Preparation for Local Families On Oct. 22, the Lincoln Trail MRC (KY) sponsored an activity at the “Breaking Bad: A Healthy Living Community Expo” hosted by the West Hardin Middle School in Hardin County, KY. At this event, two MRC volunteers led a demonstration to show parents how to make a meal that is nutritious, delicious, and kid-friendly. Taking into consideration that many parents are busy and often do not have time to prepare healthy meals at home, the MRC volunteers offered training for parents on how to cook a meal that can be prepared easily and quickly, and is also healthy and nutritious. Additionally, volunteers provided healthy snack options for children in attendance. This training raised awareness and increased parents’ and children’s knowledge of nutrition, and MRC volunteers demonstrated how with thought and foresight, parents can make meals that are fast and healthy. MRC volunteers prepared cheese quesadillas, chicken and cheese quesadillas, and chicken and cheese quesadillas with onions and peppers, using low-fat cheese, grilled chicken, and salsa. Parents were very receptive to the demonstration and pleased with the simplicity of the meal, its low cost, and how it tasted. Many parents and children returned to the table two or three times to sample the dish, and volunteers had run out of food by the end of the event.

This demonstration was created by the Lincoln Trail District Health Department’s Registered Dietician and Maternal Child Health Coordinator and was piloted at this event. The Lincoln Trail MRC plans on hosting this demonstration again at other local events.

Volunteers prepare healthy dishes

Volunteer Spotlight In September 2013, Brookline MRC (MA) and CERT volunteers Cheryl Snyder and Sue Welpton received the Trudy Cohen volunteer award in recognition of their outstanding service to the Brookline community.

Cheryl Snyder and Sue Welpton

The award is in honor of Trudy Cohen, an MRC volunteer for the local health department and other community organizations, who passed away in 2010. This is the fourth year that the Trudy Cohen award has been presented to MRC volunteers in the Brookline community. Cheryl Snyder was honored for raising awareness of the importance of pet sheltering during emergencies, and working to obtain pet sheltering equipment and pet “Go-Kits” for the Brookline community. She joined

the Brookline MRC in 2010, and has represented the Brookline Emergency Management Team (including the Brookline MRC and CERT) on the Metro Boston Homeland Security Region’s pet sheltering planning committee since May 2012. As part of this team, Cheryl has been working to further develop the pet sheltering plan for Brookline and organizing the resources necessary to care for pets in an emergency. In addition to her work with pet preparedness, Cheryl has attended many MRC trainings and flu clinics, and was part of the pilot Preparedness Buddies Program, developed by Sue Welpton. Sue Welpton was honored for her work in forming the Preparedness Buddies Program. As a clinical social worker in the field of geriatrics, Sue created the Preparedness Buddies Program after an experience at the Brookline Council on Aging. When a woman mentioned that she was without power for three days after a storm and no one checked on her, Sue decided to form a program to prevent such instances from happening again. Sue consulted with local MRC and CERT leadership to develop the Preparedness Buddies Program, which matches seniors in the community with MRC/CERT members to check on their buddy during emergencies. Sue was also honored for attending the Brookline MRC’s monthly trainings, and for her assistance with annual flu clinics and response to emergencies.

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A Look Back at 2013: The Impact of the MRC in Photos In 2013, MRC units contributed to 16,169 activities in their communities—a truly outstanding impact! Here is a snapshot of how some MRC volunteers donated their time in 2013.

Colorado Veterinary MRC units rescue animals during unprecedented flooding (September)

Salt Lake County MRC (UT) partners with local CERT for a National Preparedness Month exercise (September)

Cape Cod MRC (MA) staffs shelter during Blizzard Nemo (February)

Minnesota HOSA MRC hosts camp to help children heal after flooding (August)

California MRC units train and exercise at the Ventura County MRC’s annual Austere Medical Deployment (May)

Eastern Shore MRC (VA) partners with Wallops Flight Facility for rocket launches (April)

Oklahoma MRC units respond in the aftermath of the tornado outbreak (May)

Howard University MRC (DC) supports the 57th Presidential Inauguration (January)

Indiana MRC units were invited to recruit at an Indianapolis Colts NFL game (November)

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! We need your help to make this newsletter informative, interesting, and beneficial to MRC units nationwide. We are always accepting stories and best practices on the MRC. Remember that stories with photos are more likely to be included. For the upcoming newsletter... Please submit stories and photos for consideration by March 21, 2014 to [email protected]. We look forward to your submissions!

Submission Guidelines

• Please include contact information (e-mail and telephone number) for follow-up. • If you include photos, please send as high-resolution JPEG, TIF, or EPS attachments. • Digital cameras should be set for high-quality images using the maximum megapixel setting available. • Photo submissions should also include a caption or description of the event.

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1100 17th Street, NW, Seventh Floor Washington, DC 20036 Phone: 202-783-5550 Fax: 202-783-1583 www.naccho.org

To report changes in your contact information, please email [email protected]. Copyright 2014. All rights reserved.

A LOOK AHEAD MARCH

APRIL

MAY

National Nutrition Month

National Minority Health Month

Mental Health Month

2-8 Severe Weather Preparedness Week

6-13 National Volunteer Week

23 Heat Awareness Day

16-22 National Poison Prevention Week

7-13 National Public Health Week

25-31 Hurricane Preparedness Week

This publication is made possible by the support of the Office of the Surgeon General under the terms of Cooperative Agreement MRCSG061001-01-00.

APRIL 1–4, 2014 ATLANTA, GEORGIA www.preparednesssummit.org