Richland County Medical Reserve Corps

Welcome to the Richland County Medical Reserve Corps (MRC). This website contains all of the information needed to join & learn more about the Richland County MRC unit. Scroll to the bottom of the page for some MRC FAQs. Please reach out to the Unit Coordinator using the contact form at the bottom of the page to learn more about how to get involved!

MISSION:

The Richland County MRC strives to create a strong volunteer base of medical and non-medical personnel who are prepared with the confidence and training necessary to lend their skills and expertise to their community when called upon.

VISION:

The Richland County MRC envisions a unit with the capacity and expertise to effectively integrate with existing disaster response infrastructure in Richland County to provide high quality disaster response.

VOLUNTEERS:

Richland County MRC is always seeking medical and non-medical volunteers to assist with unit activities. All interested volunteers should start by creating a new account on the OhioResponds portal. Any existing medical licenses and/or qualifications should be entered through this system. All Richland MRC volunteers are subject to a background check at the time of application. Once a new account is created, or you have logged into your existing account, follow the instructions found on the OhioResponds homepage to affiliate with Richland County MRC.

Once affiliated, all volunteers should log in monthly to ensure contact information is up to date, and to review any messages sent by Richland County MRC personnel or the OhioResponds system. It is strongly recommended that volunteers check emails monthly for communications from the OhioResponds system and Richland County MRC mailboxes to learn about upcoming training, deployments, and to stay up to date on Richland County MRC activities. *NOTE- Some browsers may classify automatic messages from Richland County MRC and OhioResponds as spam, so members are encouraged to check spam folders for communications.

Any volunteer experiencing issues should contact the Richland County MRC Unit Coordinator at: mrc@richlandhealth.org or via phone at 419-774-3542.

TRAINING & EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES:

Richland County MRC volunteers are strongly encouraged to remain active during “Blue Skies” by participating in online, self-paced training via MRCTrain. Active members should create an account at https://www.train.org/mrc/welcome. Once an account has been created, active members should follow instructions to add Richland County MRC to their organization page. A training plan will be shared with all active members of the Richland County MRC after completing a unit orientation.

FAQ's

Why should I join an MRC Unit?

The need for the MRC became apparent after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, when medical and public health professionals, eager to volunteer in support of emergency relief activities, found that there was no organized approach to channel their efforts. As a result, the MRC was established to provide a way to recruit, train, and activate medical and public health professionals and other volunteers to respond to community health needs during disasters and other public health emergencies.

What is required if I join?

Register online at https://www.ohioresponds.odh.ohio.gov/
Complete a background check.
Complete a unit orientation and an additional four hours of approved training every three years. This training is free, and the unit coordinator will work with members to complete training.
Your driver’s license and any professional license must be verified at the time of training and at the time of activation. Please bring these with you to any event you respond to, including training.

What types of emergencies could I be called for?

Emergency preparedness and response exercises
Emergency shelter operations and medical care
Disaster medical and behavioral health support
Medical facility surge support
Mass dispensing efforts (e.g., medication, water, other supplies)
Disease testing and surveillance
Community vaccination clinics
Veterinary care
Support services to disaster call centers, family assistance centers, and reception/evacuation centers
Emergency operations center and communications support
Patient movement support
Search and rescue operations
Disaster clean-up and recovery support
First aid and medical support during large public gatherings
Community education and outreach
Emergency preparedness and response planning, logistical, and administrative support

And More!

Who is responsible for the liability of volunteers?

Ohio Revised Code 121.404

Liability protection is provided to registered Ohio Citizen Corps (including Ohio Medical Reserve Corps) volunteers during local or state declared emergencies, disasters, drills and training. The statute also exempts a registered volunteer’s personal information on the Ohio Responds Database from public disclosure.

*NOTE- Richland County MRC does NOT cover for or provide workers compensation for any time lost at an individual’s place of employment due to injury or other ailments suffered as a result of volunteering and/or deploying with the Richland County MRC unit.

I’m not sure If I can respond to every event - Can I still volunteer?

Yes! You are not obligated to respond to any event. If the MRC unit is activated, it’s important that volunteers contact their place of employment prior to responding to any event to make sure they are not needed at work. A volunteer should not respond to an event if they are needed at their place of employment. Volunteers should NEVER self deploy. Volunteers may be subject to removal from the unit if they are found to be self-deploying.

When is training going to be held?

The Unit Coordinator will work with all volunteers to ensure they meet minimum training requirements for the unit. Training will be made available online via MRCTrain, as well as periodic in-person drills, exercises, and continuing education. Please see the above section TRAINING & EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES for more information. In-person training opportunities will be communicated to members via OhioResponds and email newsletters.Richland County MRC strives to provide high-quality training and skill development opportunities for unit members.

I’m still not sure if this is for me. . .

Check out this quick 3 minute video about how MRC units across the country were invaluable resources to their communities!

OhioResponds Volunteer Registry

OhioResponds Volunteer Registry help

MRC Train Account

Creating a MRC Train account