Medical Reserve Corps

Vital Roles

The Lewis County Medical Reserve Corps needs volunteers to fill these vital roles:

supplement Lewis County Public Health staffing during public health emergencies
provide medical care to participants at community events

Medical Training Not Required

When a natural disaster, epidemic, or other emergency affecting the public’s health occurs, community-based MRC volunteers make the difference for hundreds or even thousands of their neighbors all across Lewis County. Click here for a 3-minute video overview of the MRC.

While medical training is a plus, MRC members can come from all walks of life because not every job that needs to be done requires medical knowledge. MRC volunteers include medical, mental health, and allied health professionals, such as physicians, nurses, social workers, therapists, pharmacists, dentists, and veterinarians. Other community members, such as interpreters and legal advisors, can also fill vital roles. A six-minute video about MRC unit activities is posted below; please take a few minutes to watch.

In a Disaster, Everyone Wants to Help

The pre-registering and pre-credentialing of volunteers allows the Lewis County MRC to match the skills of volunteers to the needs of the region and get them right to work doing what they signed up to do.

MRC VOLUNTEERS HELP 598 RIDERS IN 2018 STP

The 2018 event was the second busiest of the five years this team has operated the Centralia medical aid station for the annual 200-mile Seattle-to-Portland Bicycle Classic. Over an 11-hour operational period on Saturday and a 2-hour operational period Sunday morning, 598 individuals contacted aid station staff. Of those, 148 (25% of riders seen) received medical assessment and treatment by staff for a variety of chief complaints. The remaining 450 were provided with self-care items requested – mostly pain medication, anti-chafing cream, and sunscreen.

THIRD-ANNUAL RIDE THE WILLAPA ADDS MOBILE CARE UNITS

On Saturday, June 23 and Sunday, June 24, 2018, Lewis County Medical Reserve Corps volunteers and local fire district volunteers set up and staffed stationary and mobile medical aid stations to take care of riders who may need assistance. In bicycle aficionado terms, this is a fairly short ride, just 22 miles each way. The ride is promoted as a family event, with fast riding or racing on the trail discouraged. This led to a high participation by adults and children are not used to riding such distances. Now in its third year, the event has grown from barely 200 riders to more than 450.Over the course of two days, 41 of the approximately 450 riders sought assistance from the medical aid stations for both medical and non-medical needs.

MRC STAFFS 2017 STP AID STATION

In partnership with Providence Healthcare, MRC Volunteers from the Lewis County Medical Reserve Corps Unit helped operate and staff the medical aid station on the Centralia College Campus to provide assistance to 10,000 riders in the annual Seattle-to-Portland Bicycle Classic (STP). Over 14 hours of operation on Saturday and Sunday, more than 600 riders stopped in for help with problems ranging from aches and pains to minor sores, knee pain, major medical issues, and major trauma from crashes. This is the fourth year MRC volunteers have stepped up to this truly a massive undertaking. In addition to helping riders’ illness and injuries, MRC volunteers took on the additional responsibility for managing lost and found items.

MRC STAFFS 2016 STP AID STATION

MRC Volunteers from the Lewis County Medical Reserve Corps Unit helped operate and staff the medical aid station on the Centralia College Campus to provide assistance to 10,000 riders in the annual Seattle-to-Portland Bicycle Classic (STP). Over 14 hours of operation, more than 400 riders stopped in for help with problems ranging from aches and pains to minor sores, knee pain, and major trauma from crashes on damp, slippery roadways. This is the third year MRC volunteers have stepped up to this truly a massive undertaking. In addition to helping riders’ illness and injuries, MRC volunteers took on the additional responsibility for managing lost and found items.

MRC STAFFS SECOND-ANNUAL 'RIDE THE WILLAPA' FAMILY BICYCLE EVENT

MRC Volunteers from the Lewis County Medical Reserve Corps Unit organized and staffed three medical aid stations for the Second Annual Ride the Willapa bicycle event. Volunteers staffed aid stations at the starting line, finish line, and mid-way point of this 22-mile community ride. The ride was held over two days, with many participants staying overnight at the finish line in Pe Ell or at Rainbow Falls State Park, then riding back to the starting line the next day. This non-competitive ride – created to be a family-fun activity, was enjoyed by hundreds, including entire families.

MRC STAFFS FIRST-ANNUAL FAMILY BIKE RIDE

MRC Volunteers from the Lewis County Medical Reserve Corps Unit organize and staff three medical aid stations for the First Annual Willapa Hills Fat Tire Trail Ride. Volunteers staffed aid stations at the starting line, finish line, and mid-way point of this 22-mile ride. The ride was held over two days, with many participants staying overnight at the finish line, then riding back to the starting line the next day. This non-competitive ride – created to be a family-fun activity, was enjoyed by hundreds, including entire families.

NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR LEWIS COUNTY MEDICAL RESERVE CORPS

Local community preparedness efforts by the Lewis County Medical Reserve Corps are the featured article in the August 2014 edition of the MRC In Touch newsletter, distributed to Medical Reserve Corps units and public health departments nationally. The article details how MRC volunteers are using the Map Your Neighborhood program at the ground level to improve preparedness one neighborhood at a time. For more information, go to:

http://newsmanager.commpartners.com/nacchomrc/issues/2014-08-07.html#0

For more information

Contact MRC Coordinator Ed Mund at (360) 740-1227 or email: Ed.Mund@lewiscountywa.gov.

Click here to download the Lewis County MRC brochure.

Click here to download a list of MRC volunteer positions.

Click here to download the Lewis County MRC Application instructions.