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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 17,
2009
(973) 225-3809
Paterson -- Residents of Passaic County are needed to serve
as volunteer reserves for the Passaic County Department of
Health.
Passaic County realizes that, in the event of a public health
emergency, volunteers are our most valuable resource. New Jersey
has made great strides in creating the plans and infrastructure
necessary to prepare for and respond to a public health
emergency. However, we need to identify a dedicated group of
individuals that can be relied upon in the event of a
bioterrorist or natural disaster to help put our plans into
action.
Volunteers
will need to participate in training and education in order to be
adequately prepared should an event occur. The NJ Department of Health
and Senior Services will help provide guidelines and recommendations for
training through the New Jersey Medical Reserve Corp. Program (NJMRC).
During a
public health emergency, volunteers will be asked to perform duties in
accordance with their interests, training, and experience. Such duties
might include:
-
direct
patient care
-
administrative duties
-
clerical
or reception duties
-
translation services
In order to accomplish our goal, the NJMRC is designed to
help identify and register individuals who are willing to serve within
their local area. Volunteers will be utilized through county and local
health agencies as part of the emergency management system in that
jurisdiction. The State is also interested in identifying individuals
with special expertise who are available for consultation and/or
response throughout the state. These special response teams would be a
valuable state asset.
Who can
join the Medical Reserve Corps?
The MRCs invite both health care professional and community health
volunteers. Any licensed or certified health care professional,
practicing or retired, living or working in the State of New Jersey can
apply to be a member of the Medical Reserve Corps. Residents of New
Jersey that have an interest in health care issues and are willing to
serve their fellow citizens in the event of a public health emergency
are also encouraged to apply to the NJMRC program.
Do I
have liability protection?
New Jersey law provides that volunteers acting in good faith carrying
out, complying with or attempting to comply with, any order, rule or
regulation promulgated pursuant to a declared emergency, or performing
any authorized service in connection therewith, shall not be liable for
any injury or death to persons or damage to property as a result of any
such activity.
How do I
join?
New Jersey Medical Reserve Corps (Emergency Health Care
Provider Registry, pursuant to P.L. 2005, c. 222) has been created as a
tool to support the registration process. To begin the application
process, go to
http://www.njmrc.nj.gov/hcpr/ and click on the "Online Application
button. Next, go to the county area of residence and choose a
volunteer status of either "Health Care Professional Volunteer
Application" or "Community Health Volunteer Application". The
health care professional application form being for the certified health
care professionals, and the latter being for the interested community
volunteers.
If you
do not have access to a computer and/or wish to have the application
mailed or filled out manually by phone, please call 973-225-3809 or
email dianek@passaiccountynj.org.
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