National Preparedness Month: Join the Md. Responds Medical Reserve Corps
Baltimore, MD (September
11, 2015) – September is National Preparedness Month, and it is a great
time to register for the Maryland Responds Medical Reserve Corps.
Maryland Responders are dedicated volunteers who stand ready to respond
to the public health needs of our community, such as providing support
during natural disasters or preparing for flu season.
"Disaster
preparedness is a shared responsibility. Emergencies can overwhelm the
capability of first responders, especially during the first 12 to 72
hours," says Stephanie Parsons, who coordinates the program. "Having
citizens who are prepared to take care of themselves, their families and
others during times of crisis allows first responders to focus their
efforts on the most critical life-threatening situations."
Membership
is open to anyone 18 or older, including medical professionals and
community members. Maryland Responders are provided with free training
in emergency response and other topics. For more information about
Maryland Responds, visit http://mdr.dhmh.maryland.gov. To register, visit https://mdresponds.dhmh.maryland.gov.
Maryland
Responds was awarded a Silver Award for its volunteer newsletters at
the 2015 National Public Health Information Coalition (NPHIC) Awards of
Excellence in Public Health Communications. The newsletters, viewable at
http://goo.gl/UShjLf,
highlight the hard work and commitment of volunteer public health
professionals around the state. Last year, the program received two
NPHIC Awards of Excellence.
The
Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is the state
government agency that protects Maryland’s public health and also works
to help Marylanders make better health decisions for better health
outcomes. Stay connected: www.twitter.com/MarylandDHMH and www.facebook.com/MarylandDHMH.
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