Medical Volunteers Needed in Champaign County!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 31, 2008
Contact
John Dwyer, Emergency Preparedness Planner
(217) 531-2932
Lori A. Holmes, Public Relations
(217) 531-2927
Medical Volunteers Needed in Champaign County!
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Launches Medical Reserve Corps to Help Prepare Champaign County for Times of Community Need.
Champaign, IL – The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) recently approved a Medical Reserve Corps Grant for the ChampaignUrbana Public Health District (CUPHD) to produce a local Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) this upcoming April 2008. CUPHD is currently actively searching for volunteers as the MRC begins its growing stages. These volunteers include both medical and public health professionals (active or retired) such as physicians, nurses, dentists, epidemiologists, pharmacists, emergency medical technicians, and paramedics. Volunteers interested in joining the Champaign County Medical Reserve Corps, are encouraged to contact Salva Najib at
The mission of the Champaign County Medical Reserve Corps is to create a cadre of health, medical and general volunteers that can serve and support local municipalities including first responders, area hospitals and extended care facilities in times of major emergencies or disasters. In addition, the Champaign County MRC will organize and utilize the volunteers encouraging them to share their expertise in the field as well as prepare for and respond to community emergencies as well as promoting healthy living throughout the year.
“Major emergencies can be overwhelming for first responders and caregivers, particularly within first 12-48 hour period”, said Salva Najib, MRC and Volunteer Coordinator at the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District. “Volunteers are crucial to successfully navigating emergencies and disasters, and will provide a valuable resource for strengthening and improving emergency preparedness in Champaign County communities”.
Other local community members are encouraged to participate in the Champaign County MRC as well. Office workers, chaplains, legal advisors, grocery workers, interpreters and others can greatly assist with vital support positions.
After President Bush’s 2002 State of the Union Address, the Medical Reserve Corps was established to promote and provide support and volunteerism throughout America. There are currently 40 MRC units in Illinois, partnered with a program called Citizen Corp, a national network of volunteers devoted to solidify hometown security. In addition to Citizen Corp, the MRC closely works with Freedom Corp, AmeriCorp, and the Peace Corp all of which are advocates of volunteerism and service nationwide.
To learn more about the Medical Reserve Corps Program, or any other CUPHD program, please call 217-352-7961 or visit the web at www.c-uphd.org.
###