Date: Tue, 5 May 2009 14:53:35 +0000
From: Ann Watson
Subject: Chatham Medical Reserve Corps
The Chatham Medical Reserve Corps, a volunteer-based disaster preparedness program of the Chatham Citizen Corps Council, will be conducting Pandemic Flu preparedness activities over the coming months.
The activities will be coordinated with local preparedness agencies and the public. This Funding comes through the UNC Hospitals Trauma Unit originating from a Federal grant from the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), Office of Preparedness and Emergency Operations (OPEO), Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP). The purpose of the funding is to improve surge capacity and enhance community and hospital preparedness for public health emergencies. The awardee should work to develop activities that clearly integrate and enhance preparedness activities with the overall effect of making healthcare systems function in more efficient, resilient, and coordinated manners .
These funds are to be used to supplement and develop not supplant current resources supporting healthcare preparedness. The Chatham Medical Reserve Corps needs volunteers from health professional and lay backgrounds to receive training and organization to assist in the event of medical disaster. The NC Good Samaritan Law specifically provides volunteers to Medical Reserve Corps units volunteer liability protections. To volunteer for the Chatham Medical Reserve Corps, please sign up at the www.servnc.org website.
You can also visit the www.chatham-citizencorps.org website for more information on the Chatham Medical Reserve Corps and its history, or call 919 663-1181 for Bill Lail, Director of the Chatham Medical Reserve Corps.
The Chatham Citizen Corps Council will be meeting May 13 in Siler City to discuss the preparedness activities of the Medical Reserve Corps Unit.