Background

In the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, thousands of Americans responded by volunteering their talents and skills to help others. Many more Americans asked, "What can I do to help?" Washtenaw County now has a local chapter of the Medical Reserve Corps, a national organization that was created to ensure that people who want to help during an emergency are able to do so. The MRC pre-identifies, screens, and verifies licenses of volunteers so that they are ready to help should an emergency occur.

The Medical Reserve Corps is the component of the US Citizen Corps that will bring together local health professionals and others with relevant health-related skills to volunteer in their community. These volunteers will assist local, existing community emergency medical response systems as well as provide a group of readily trained and available resources to help a community deal with pressing public health needs and improvements.

Citizen Corps Councils and Medical Reserve Corps units will vary from community to community, depending on each community's needs and the decisions made by local leaders and citizens. The initiatives in all communities share the common goal of engaging volunteers in helping their communities prevent, prepare for and respond to crime, disasters,  public health needs and emergencies of all kinds.