2008 HURRICANE SEASON

MRC volunteers were called upon to make significant contributions to response efforts during the 2008 hurricane season. This provided further confirmation of the ability of local MRC units to enhance their communities’ resiliency and capacity to respond to a public health emergency. More than 1500 MRC members from 63 MRC units in 14 states volunteered more than 30,000 hours locally in response to hurricanes Ike and Gustav and Tropical Storm Hanna. These volunteers performed a variety of different tasks, based on the needs in their local communities. Some of their activities included the following:

• • Staffing general shelters, special/medical needs shelters, and federal medical stations

• • Providing evacuation support prior to landfall and reentry support for returning evacuees

• • Immunizing responders and community members

• • Supporting communications, operations, and logistics at emergency operations centers

• • Establishing a colocated animal shelter for evacuees’ pets

• • Delivering meals and conducting medical observations for homebound medically fragile community members

• • Conducting behavioral health evaluations

• • Providing staffing support for family medicine clinics, hospitals, and comfort stations

IMPACT OF VOLUNTEERISM

The act of volunteerism adds tremendous value to the services that the government, nonprofit, and private sectors provide. In addition, by bringing people together to act for the good of the community, voluntary action creates bonds of trust and encourages cooperation, ultimately building social capital. Research conducted in 2001 by the Independent Sector Research Program found that volunteering carried out through nonprofit organizations in the United States has been estimated to be equivalent to 9 million full-time jobs.1 Through a variety of reporting mechanisms and media outreach, MRC leaders have begun to demonstrate to key stakeholders, decision makers, and partners the impact that their volunteer activities can have at the community level and beyond.

The Points of Light Foundation developed the Economic Impact of Volunteers Calculator to help assign a realistic economic value to specific volunteer positions. Given the diverse missions and functions of each MRC unit and the varying roles that MRC volunteers take on, the calculator can provide a realistic dollar figure for the services being offered in each community. In a sense, these are “avoided costs” for the community because the services are being donated by the volunteers.

Other factors that help determine the impact of an activity include the type and number of services provided and the number of patients served. For all types of MRC activities, unit leaders are encouraged to track the number and type of MRC volunteers used, the number of hours they worked, and the impact of their activities.

The following samples of impact statements from MRC units after the 2008 hurricane season provide a glimpse into the bigger picture of impact that the MRC can have on the community it serves:

• • The Calcasieu MRC in Lake Charles, LA, assisted with 2 evacuations of all special needs patients in their 5-parish area. MRC members performed triage on all evacuees and conducted the reentry of all special needs evacuees. They helped them off buses, unloaded luggage, and provided assistance to transport some to their homes. The MRC volunteers also opened 2 shelters for evacuees, and after 48 hours transferred management of the shelters to the Red Cross shelter management team. Volunteers also assisted the health department sanitarian with inspections in the area, delivered medical supplies to the hardest hit areas, picked up donations for community members with immediate needs, staffed telephone lines at the Homeland Security office, worked at the special needs shelters, and supported 1 hospital. A total of 103 volunteers participated and donated more than 2000 hours of service or approximately $76,252 during the response.

• • Sixteen local MRC units assisted the Kentucky Department of Health with staffing a federal medical station that was set up to provide care for evacuees from Hurricane Gustav. Services provided at the station included around-the-clock nursing care for special needs patients and an acute care clinic during daytime hours. The mission lasted 1 week. The participating units provided 47 volunteers for a total of 509 hours. These donated hours saved the local, state, and federal governments approximately $19,400.

• • The Oklahoma Veterinary MRC helped establish a colocated animal shelter for evacuees’ pets and provided subsequent medical care. Thirty-two animals were cared for by volunteers donating 86 hours of service, which was valued at approximately $4,444.

CONCLUSIONS

MRC units throughout the nation continue to provide a host of services to their communities in an effort to make them safer and healthier. This has been demonstrated in the aftermath of hurricanes and other natural disasters, such as ice storms and wildfires. MRC volunteers truly serve as force multipliers as they supplement and support local responders and health care providers, with the ultimate goal of having an impact on their communities and beyond.

For more information about the MRC, where they are located, and what local initiatives they are supporting, along with information on MRC lessons learned, promising practices, and other pertinent resources, please visit the MRC Web site at http://www.medicalreservecorps.gov. Community leaders and others interested in the MRC program are encouraged to contact the Office of the Civilian Volunteer Medical Reserve Corps at MRCcontact@hhs.gov or (301) 443-4951.

Author's Disclosures

The author reports no conflicts of interest.