MRC OF DUTCHESS WELCOMES NYC MRC DIRECTOR ON MAY 18th
Poughkeepsie…. The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) of Dutchess County will host Betty Duggan, director of the Medical Reserve Corps of New York City, who will share stories and experiences from the field on Thursday, May 18th at 7 pm at the Dutchess County Department of Emergency Response (DER), 392 Creek Road in Poughkeepsie.
“Ms. Duggan has served at the epicenter of many of our nation’s critical public health and disaster responses,” said A. K. Vaidian, MD, MPH, DBCH Commissioner. “Her perspective and lessons learned stress the unquestionable value of maintaining a trained volunteer workforce to support local government efforts in both emergency response and public health crises.”
Established in response to the events of 9/11 which prompted thousands of spontaneous volunteers to assist with recovery efforts, the Medical Reserve Corps of NYC is the largest of nearly 1,000 volunteer units across the United States. With more than 8,000 medical and non-medical volunteer members, the unit has expanded its mission in recent years to respond to all hazards and incidents, including the 2009 H1N1 flu pandemic, Hurricanes Irene and Sandy, and the Ebola response of 2014.
The Medical Reserve Corps of Dutchess County is part of a national network of nearly 200,000 volunteers dedicated to supporting public health infrastructure as well as disaster preparedness and response in the community. Both medical professionals and non-medical volunteers are needed.
The event is free and open to the public, however, seating is limited and registration prior to the event is required. For more information about the Medical Reserve Corps, or to register, please contact MRC Coordinator Joe Ryan at (845) 486-2493 or jryan@dutchessny.gov. For information on upcoming MRC trainings and presentations, visitwww.dutchessny.gov/mrc
