The Manasota Medical Reserve Corp (MRC) is a team of pre-identified, trained and credentialed volunteers who augment local community health and medical services during disasters, as well as during more routine public health activities. Individuals 18 years of age and older from all backgrounds are needed, including students, business professionals, retirees, and others.
Opportunities are available for a variety of trained volunteers
with different skills and knowledge:
Medical Volunteers
- Licensed medical providers
- Emergency medical professionals
- Respiratory therapists
- Pharmacists
- Veterinarians
- Occupational health, industrial hygiene, infection prevention, and N95 fit testers
- Retired medical workers
Nonmedical Licenses and Credentialed Volunteers
- Licensed behavioral health providers
- Health educators
- Sanitarians and environmental health specialists
- Members of emergency response teams
Administrative and Other Skilled Volunteers
- HAM radio operators
- Computer or technical skills
- Organizational skills
- Marketing and communications skills
- Multilingual
- Others on case-by-case basis
The MRC serves Manatee and Sarasota counties and remains on standby during events scheduled every year. Volunteers set up and staff medical aid stations and respond in MERVs (mini emergency response vehicles). Volunteers will be asked to fill roles based on their expertise and experience and the needs of the emergency response.
Volunteers may participate in many different activities that increase the community’s ability to recover from disasters, such as:
- Disaster medical and behavioral health support
- Disease testing and surveillance
- First aid and medical support during large public gatherings
- Emergency shelter operations and medical care
- Large scale dispensing efforts
- Support to disaster call centers
- Emergency operations center and communications support
- Emergency preparedness planning and administrative support
The MRC may be activated to respond to:
- Natural disasters, such as fires, floods and earthquakes
- Biological and chemical emergencies
- Disease outbreaks and investigations
