The Medical Reserve Corps The Medical Reserve Corps and Response to Radiation and Response to Radiation

EmergenciesEmergencies

What is the mission of the Medical Reserve What is the mission of the Medical Reserve Corps?Corps?

How did MRC GEM get into the “radiation How did MRC GEM get into the “radiation business”?business”?

What is a Community Reception Center What is a Community Reception Center (CRC)?(CRC)?

What is the role of volunteers at a CRC?What is the role of volunteers at a CRC?

The Four QuestionsThe Four Questions

In a NutshellIn a Nutshell

MRC GEM a MRC GEM a non-profitnon-profit corporation corporation working closely with local health working closely with local health departments, emergency managers, departments, emergency managers, and homeland security.and homeland security.

We serve the health and emergency We serve the health and emergency preparedness needs of Gwinnett, preparedness needs of Gwinnett, Newton, and Rockdale Counties.Newton, and Rockdale Counties.

What is the mission of the What is the mission of the Medical Reserve Corps?Medical Reserve Corps?

ORIGIN OF THE MRCORIGIN OF THE MRC

Created by the President in response to Created by the President in response to the attacks of September 11, 2001.the attacks of September 11, 2001.

Begun with Federal grant program.Begun with Federal grant program.

Component of the Citizen Corps, which is Component of the Citizen Corps, which is part of the USA Freedom Corps.part of the USA Freedom Corps.

Guided by the Office of the U.S. Surgeon Guided by the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General.General.

The term “first responder” was expanded in The term “first responder” was expanded in 2003 by 2003 by Homeland SecurityHomeland Security Presidential Presidential DirectiveDirective 88..

It now refers to those historically associated It now refers to those historically associated with the term (fire, LE, EMS, etc.) with the term (fire, LE, EMS, etc.) but now but now also includesalso includes emergency management, emergency management, public healthpublic health, public works, and other , public works, and other skilled support personnel who can provide skilled support personnel who can provide immediate support during prevention, immediate support during prevention, response, and recovery operations.response, and recovery operations.

PURPOSE OF AN MRC UNIT PURPOSE OF AN MRC UNIT

Recruit, credential, and train volunteers Recruit, credential, and train volunteers before the time of crisis.before the time of crisis.

Strengthen communities by providing a ready Strengthen communities by providing a ready reserve capacity to respond to emergencies.reserve capacity to respond to emergencies.

Provides organized volunteer opportunities Provides organized volunteer opportunities for local citizens.for local citizens.

Assist with ongoing public health needs by Assist with ongoing public health needs by working to improve the overall health and working to improve the overall health and wellbeing of communities.wellbeing of communities.

MRC ACTIVITIESMRC ACTIVITIES

Emergency response planningEmergency response planning

Assistance with ongoing Public Health Assistance with ongoing Public Health activities and eventsactivities and events

Meet staffing shortage gaps during Public Meet staffing shortage gaps during Public Health emergenciesHealth emergencies

Provide surge capacity staffing during Provide surge capacity staffing during activation of the Modular Emergency activation of the Modular Emergency Medical System (MEMS)Medical System (MEMS)

WHO SERVES IN A MRC UNIT?WHO SERVES IN A MRC UNIT?

Volunteers who possess non-medical Volunteers who possess non-medical skills and diverse training backgroundsskills and diverse training backgrounds

Volunteers who are licensed active, Volunteers who are licensed active, inactive, or retired health care inactive, or retired health care professionalsprofessionals

Public health professionalsPublic health professionals

Anyone can join and make a difference!Anyone can join and make a difference!

How did MRC GEM get into How did MRC GEM get into the “radiation business”?the “radiation business”?

It’s all his fault!It’s all his fault!

Dr. Armin AnsariDr. Armin Ansari

Armin J. Ansari, PhD, CHP is a Armin J. Ansari, PhD, CHP is a Health Health Physicist with the Radiation Studies Physicist with the Radiation Studies Branch, Division of Environmental Branch, Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, CDC.Hazards and Health Effects, CDC.

He is an expert in radiation safety.He is an expert in radiation safety.

Armin’s work involves response to Armin’s work involves response to radiation emergencies.radiation emergencies.

He is also a member of MRC GEM.He is also a member of MRC GEM.

How did MRC GEM get into the How did MRC GEM get into the “radiation business”?“radiation business”?

Dr. Ansari realized that:Dr. Ansari realized that:•Response to a radiation emergency would Response to a radiation emergency would require a large number of trained personnelrequire a large number of trained personnel•There weren’t enough trained personnel to There weren’t enough trained personnel to meet this need.meet this need.•MRC is a perfect vehicle for making trained MRC is a perfect vehicle for making trained volunteers available to fill this gap.volunteers available to fill this gap.

How did MRC GEM get into the How did MRC GEM get into the “radiation business”?“radiation business”?

Armin experimented on us, holding several Armin experimented on us, holding several training sessions about radiation, the use of training sessions about radiation, the use of survey meters, and Community Reception survey meters, and Community Reception Center concepts.Center concepts.

This effort culminated in a large-scale This effort culminated in a large-scale exercise, complete with an affected exercise, complete with an affected population and a film crew to record it all.population and a film crew to record it all.

Daniel Barnett et al of the Johns Daniel Barnett et al of the Johns Hopkins Preparedness and EmergencyHopkins Preparedness and Emergency

Response Research Center recently Response Research Center recently published a study "Gauging U.S.published a study "Gauging U.S.

Emergency Medical Services workers' Emergency Medical Services workers' willingness to respond towillingness to respond to

pandemic influenza..."pandemic influenza..."

Conclusions:Conclusions:

If the workers:If the workers:

understand the risks they face and how to understand the risks they face and how to protect themselvesprotect themselves

understand the important, vital, critical role understand the important, vital, critical role they play in the responsethey play in the response

they are far more likely to participate in a they are far more likely to participate in a response effort.response effort.

What is a Community What is a Community Reception Center (CRC)?Reception Center (CRC)?

Community Reception CentersCommunity Reception Centersare the local response strategy for are the local response strategy for conducting population monitoring.conducting population monitoring.•Multi-agency effortMulti-agency effort•Public health is the lead agencyPublic health is the lead agency•Staffed by government workers and organized Staffed by government workers and organized volunteersvolunteers•Opened 24-48 hrs post eventOpened 24-48 hrs post event•Located outside of hot zoneLocated outside of hot zone•Comparable to PODs, NEHCsComparable to PODs, NEHCs

Community Reception CentersCommunity Reception CentersServices include:Services include:– Contamination Contamination

screeningscreening– DecontaminationDecontamination– Limited medical careLimited medical care

Main purpose is triage:Main purpose is triage:– Ease burden on Ease burden on

hospitalshospitals– Manage scarce medical Manage scarce medical

resourcesresources

Population MonitoringPopulation Monitoring

Begins soon after radiation incident Begins soon after radiation incident reportedreported

Continues until all potentially affected Continues until all potentially affected people monitored and evaluated for:people monitored and evaluated for:– Medical treatmentMedical treatment– ContaminationContamination– Dose assessment and health risks.Dose assessment and health risks.– Long term health effects Long term health effects

HomeHome

Public ShelterPublic

Shelter

Hospital or Alternate Care Site

Hospital or Alternate Care Site

Affected AreaAffected Area

Surrounding CommunitySurrounding Community

CRC EndpointOrigin

Community Reception Center Community Reception Center Process FlowProcess Flow

7 Stations:7 Stations:

Initial SortingInitial Sorting First AidFirst Aid Contamination Screening Contamination Screening WashWash

Contamination Control ZoneContamination Control Zone

Clean ZoneClean Zone

Registration Registration Radiation Dose AssessmentRadiation Dose Assessment DischargeDischarge

Initial SortingInitial Sorting

Staff identify people who have:Staff identify people who have: Urgent medical needsUrgent medical needs High levels of contaminationHigh levels of contamination Special needsSpecial needs Decontaminated before coming Decontaminated before coming

to the CRCto the CRC

First AidFirst Aid

• Medical staff care for and/or Medical staff care for and/or transport patients with urgent transport patients with urgent medical needsmedical needs

• Life saving care takes priority! Life saving care takes priority! Do not delay transport for Do not delay transport for

decontamination!decontamination!

Contamination ScreeningContamination Screening

Staff screen people for external Staff screen people for external contamination using radiation contamination using radiation detection equipmentdetection equipment

WashWash

Staff monitor and Staff monitor and facilitate showeringfacilitate showering

People wash People wash themselvesthemselves People with special People with special

needs may require needs may require additional assistanceadditional assistance

RegistrationRegistration

Staff collect information for registry and long-term follow-up:Staff collect information for registry and long-term follow-up: Patient namePatient name Contact informationContact information DestinationDestination Proximity to event Proximity to event Time in affected areaTime in affected area

Radiation Dose Assessment

Clinical and health physics staff:Clinical and health physics staff: Screen for internal contaminationScreen for internal contamination Assess radiation exposureAssess radiation exposure Assess need for bioassayAssess need for bioassay Assess need for treatmentAssess need for treatment Prioritize for short-term follow-upPrioritize for short-term follow-up

DischargeDischarge

Staff provide information for Staff provide information for people discharged:people discharged:

Assess need for counselingAssess need for counseling Discharge to home or shelterDischarge to home or shelter Provide referral for further careProvide referral for further care

Community Reception Center Community Reception Center Process FlowProcess Flow

Process can be adjusted Process can be adjusted to meet capabilities to meet capabilities InstrumentationInstrumentation PersonnelPersonnel

Additional processes can Additional processes can be added as needed or be added as needed or as possibleas possible PetsPets Relocation servicesRelocation services

vCRC DemovCRC Demo

What is the role of volunteers What is the role of volunteers at a CRC?at a CRC?

What is the role of volunteers at What is the role of volunteers at a CRC?a CRC?

Almost any position could be filled by a Almost any position could be filled by a trained volunteer!trained volunteer!

FOR MORE INFORMATIONFOR MORE INFORMATION

Contact:Contact:

Sherwin LevinsonSherwin Levinson

678-694-7652678-694-7652

Director@MRCGEM.COMDirector@MRCGEM.COM