FAQs
Why should I join?
The satisfaction of giving back. The urge to take action in your community. The desire to make a difference when you are needed most. The feeling you had, as you watched the scenes of Hurricane Katrina on TV, that you wanted to do something. The MRC will help you be right where you need to be during a disaster situation, applying your skills where they are needed most. We strive to support capable, prepared, and knowledgeable volunteers to ensure that the citizens of Marion County remain as healthy as possible in the face of a disaster.
Am I eligible?
Both medical professionals and non-medical residents, 18 years of age and older, are encouraged to join. Medical professionals include doctors, nurses, EMT’s, veterinarians, chiropractors, LPN’s, physicians’ assistants, mental health professionals, and many others in the health care field. If you do hold a medical license, that license will be verified to determine your ability to perform certain tasks during a disaster.
What about my family?
We recognize that during any disaster your family will be your first priority, so our volunteer training begins with family preparedness. If your family is not ready for a disaster, then you will not be able to leave them. With proper preparation and training, our volunteers and their families are ready for a disaster in Marion County.
Why is signing up now so important?
In previous national disasters, such as September 11th, 2001, and Hurricane Katrina, the local public health infrastructure was overwhelmed and needed help.
Volunteers arriving at the incident site, without being trained, without known credentials or without being affiliated with an organization, often hurt instead of help recovery efforts despite their best intentions. Through hard lessons learned, we now know counties experiencing a disaster situation need pre-credentialed, screened and trained medical professionals. The MRC meets these needs by providing an organized, rapid response of medical volunteers in a disaster.
What does the Marion County Medical Reserve Corps do?
The Marion County Medical Reserve Corps recruits, organizes, and trains a group of community volunteers that will be involved in working with the Marion County Public Health Department and partners on public health preparedness, activities and exercises including:
- Mass prophylaxis of county communities in the event of a public health emergency including bioterrorism, the Pandemic Influenza and any other infectious disease epidemic
- Members will have the opportunity to volunteer/participate in drills and other exercises which might arise.
- The Marion County MRC also provides its services at various community functions including public health fairs.
Training will be provided to Marion County MRC volunteers to increase their emergency response skills and help prepare their families and communities.
What are the requirements or qualifications to become a member?
The diverse backgrounds and skills of the volunteers with the Marion County Medical Reserve Corps give the organization the strength and depth that makes it successful and useful to the community. There are no requirements which you must possess prior to becoming a member. However, after signing up for the Marion County MRC, if you have any medical licensures or certifications, provide us with a copy to prove it is current. There are trainings which will be required of every Marion County Medical Reserve Corps volunteer in order to provide our members with the basic knowledge necessary to fulfill their roles as a Marion County MRC volunteer during times of emergency and non-emergency. Some of these trainings can be completed on your own time and at home.
How do I become a member of the Marion County Medical Reserve Corps?
To join the Marion County Medical Reserve Corps, click here.
If you have any questions please call 317-221-3133.
I am already a member, how do I update my contact information with the Marion County Medical Reserve Corps?
To update your information, click here. If you have any questions please call 317-221-3133.
How will I be contacted in an emergency?
When you register with Medical Reserve Corps, you will provide your contact information — e-mail, home address, phone numbers, and other appropriate information in the State Emergency Registry for Volunteers of Indiana (SERV-IN), online database. This database is kept current and will be used to communicate with all Marion County Medical Reserve Corps members regarding activations, deployments, trainings, and other important information. It is very important that you keep your contact information up to date.
https://serv-in.org/
Who do I contact if I have a question?
Contact the Marion County Medical Reserve Corps Coordinator at the Marion County Public Health Department at:
Marion County Public Health Department
ATTN: Medical Reserve Corps
3838 N. Rural Street
Indianapolis, IN 46205
317-221-3133
kjordan@marionhealth.org