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Source: http://www.voicenews.com/stories/123...81231045.shtml
PUBLISHED: Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Health department seeks emergency volunteers
Coordinator: Need more critical in hard times
By Nicole Tuttle
Voice Reporter
Pandemic flu, waterborne outbreak, large scale environmental exposure to diseases: All these health emergencies and more could cause wide-scale disasters quickly, and would require a quick, organized response.
That is why the St. Clair County Health Department's Emergency Preparedness Coordination division is seeking volunteers.
"Bottom line...we may need hundreds of volunteers to help us provide vaccines, medications, self-help, and other types of services to thousands of citizens of St. Clair County. Worse-case scenario...174,000 people approximately," said Diane Forys, the county's public health emergency coordinator.
The Public Health/Medical Emergency Volunteer Corps was created to enhance St. Clair County's emergency preparedness response plan and supplement the St. Clair County medical staff during a public health emergency, according to the county Web site.
The goal of the corps is to combine the knowledge and skills of different health professions to respond to public health crisis, according to the Web site.
Forys said the county has offered the volunteer program for about five years, but that during the recent economic downturn, volunteer help is more important than ever.
"Like other potential emergency response agencies...you have a finite number of employees or staff to maintain routine or daily operations," Forys said. "Especially in these last few years where there has been an extreme need for our services and support for a population of citizens who have been adversely affected by the economic downturn, like so many of our partner agencies.
"Now, in a large-scale public health emergency, the number of people who may be impacted could be in the hundreds or thousands."
According to the Web site, volunteers would be mobilized during events that would require additional health professional staffing, such as pandemic flu, a large-scale foodborne or waterborne outbreak.
Any licensed or certified health professional, health professional student or anyone with experience and employment in health care in St. Clair County can volunteer for the corps. This includes doctors, nurses, medical assistants, clerical support staff, data entry staff, technicians, billing clerks, hygienists, pharmacists, veterinarians and more.
Forys said that medical background or training is not required for volunteers.
"For every medical professional...we may need 10 to 20 other persons to help support the overall mission," she said.
During a public health emergency, volunteers contribute in many different ways such as answering incoming hotline calls, providing medical evaluation and treatment, providing education, administering vaccines, distributing medication, greeting, counseling and more.
Forys said that the department needs as many volunteers as are willing, because many people join multiple volunteer groups such as the Red Cross and might not be available when an emergency strikes. There is also the possibility that some volunteers might be affected by the health crisis themselves, she said.
"There is the understanding that many of the volunteers themselves may be impacted by the emergency and may not be available," Forys said.
Volunteers get free emergency preparedness training on an ongoing basis. They also receive regular updates on training opportunities.
"There is no commitment such as monthly meetings or required training sessions," Forys said. "Just allow us to add your name to our roster. For those who would like a more formal volunteer and training program, I strongly recommend the American Red Cross, as well as our county CERT program."
Volunteers also receive on-site training in the event of a health emergency.
"We do not want to scare people with all the potential scenarios or types of events we are required to plan for; however, we feel strongly that the best antidote for most threating events, real or imagined, is information, education and involvement or empowerment. When you become involved in this program or any other," Forys said. "You are given information periodically through mailings, training when needed, and an opportunity to help respond to the emergency in a meaningful way."
In the event of an emergency, volunteers would be notified through direct phone contact from St. Clair County Health Department, an employer or through media public broadcast announcements.
"The faster we can implement our plans and mobilize with the help of the health and medical partners, emergency management, law enforcement and the volunteers the greater the difference we can make on the impact and severity of the event," Forys said.
Volunteers can make a great difference in the ability of the department to respond to the county at large, she said.
"A public health emergency could adversely affect all citizens without bias or reservation or respect for geography," Forys said. "We need to pull in as much of the general public as possible to help protect the public health infrastructure of this county. Public health is not just a department, a job or a service...but it is the way in which a community must live to remain safe and healthy."
PUBLISHED: Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Health department seeks emergency volunteers
Coordinator: Need more critical in hard times
By Nicole Tuttle
Voice Reporter
Pandemic flu, waterborne outbreak, large scale environmental exposure to diseases: All these health emergencies and more could cause wide-scale disasters quickly, and would require a quick, organized response.
That is why the St. Clair County Health Department's Emergency Preparedness Coordination division is seeking volunteers.
"Bottom line...we may need hundreds of volunteers to help us provide vaccines, medications, self-help, and other types of services to thousands of citizens of St. Clair County. Worse-case scenario...174,000 people approximately," said Diane Forys, the county's public health emergency coordinator.
The Public Health/Medical Emergency Volunteer Corps was created to enhance St. Clair County's emergency preparedness response plan and supplement the St. Clair County medical staff during a public health emergency, according to the county Web site.
The goal of the corps is to combine the knowledge and skills of different health professions to respond to public health crisis, according to the Web site.
Forys said the county has offered the volunteer program for about five years, but that during the recent economic downturn, volunteer help is more important than ever.
"Like other potential emergency response agencies...you have a finite number of employees or staff to maintain routine or daily operations," Forys said. "Especially in these last few years where there has been an extreme need for our services and support for a population of citizens who have been adversely affected by the economic downturn, like so many of our partner agencies.
"Now, in a large-scale public health emergency, the number of people who may be impacted could be in the hundreds or thousands."
According to the Web site, volunteers would be mobilized during events that would require additional health professional staffing, such as pandemic flu, a large-scale foodborne or waterborne outbreak.
Any licensed or certified health professional, health professional student or anyone with experience and employment in health care in St. Clair County can volunteer for the corps. This includes doctors, nurses, medical assistants, clerical support staff, data entry staff, technicians, billing clerks, hygienists, pharmacists, veterinarians and more.
Forys said that medical background or training is not required for volunteers.
"For every medical professional...we may need 10 to 20 other persons to help support the overall mission," she said.
During a public health emergency, volunteers contribute in many different ways such as answering incoming hotline calls, providing medical evaluation and treatment, providing education, administering vaccines, distributing medication, greeting, counseling and more.
Forys said that the department needs as many volunteers as are willing, because many people join multiple volunteer groups such as the Red Cross and might not be available when an emergency strikes. There is also the possibility that some volunteers might be affected by the health crisis themselves, she said.
"There is the understanding that many of the volunteers themselves may be impacted by the emergency and may not be available," Forys said.
Volunteers get free emergency preparedness training on an ongoing basis. They also receive regular updates on training opportunities.
"There is no commitment such as monthly meetings or required training sessions," Forys said. "Just allow us to add your name to our roster. For those who would like a more formal volunteer and training program, I strongly recommend the American Red Cross, as well as our county CERT program."
Volunteers also receive on-site training in the event of a health emergency.
"We do not want to scare people with all the potential scenarios or types of events we are required to plan for; however, we feel strongly that the best antidote for most threating events, real or imagined, is information, education and involvement or empowerment. When you become involved in this program or any other," Forys said. "You are given information periodically through mailings, training when needed, and an opportunity to help respond to the emergency in a meaningful way."
In the event of an emergency, volunteers would be notified through direct phone contact from St. Clair County Health Department, an employer or through media public broadcast announcements.
"The faster we can implement our plans and mobilize with the help of the health and medical partners, emergency management, law enforcement and the volunteers the greater the difference we can make on the impact and severity of the event," Forys said.
Volunteers can make a great difference in the ability of the department to respond to the county at large, she said.
"A public health emergency could adversely affect all citizens without bias or reservation or respect for geography," Forys said. "We need to pull in as much of the general public as possible to help protect the public health infrastructure of this county. Public health is not just a department, a job or a service...but it is the way in which a community must live to remain safe and healthy."