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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Holly Funkhouser Cucuzzella, MPH, CHES, Burlington County Health Department, 15 Pioneer Blvd, Westampton, NJ 08060, 609-265-5548, HFunkhouser@co.burlington.nj.us and Joy Spellman, MSN RN, Center for Public Health Preparedness, Burlington County (NJ) College, 3331 Route 38 - TEC201, Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054.

Objective: To show how training medical reserve corps volunteers in emergency preparedness can be enhanced by using patient simulators and collaborating with a CDC Center for Public Health Preparedness.

Methods: Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) units are locally based health volunteers who can assist their communities during local emergencies or with day-to-day community public health needs. In order to ensure that MRC volunteers are prepared to respond to all hazards, they must be trained appropriately to ensure a safe and effective response.

The Burlington County (NJ) Health Department has partnered with Burlington County College's Center for Public Health Preparedness (BCC-CPHP) to ensure that MRC volunteers receive adequate training. The BCC-CPHP has partnered with the Health Department through the use of their simulation center and patient simulators.

This presentation highlights the benefits of collaboration and the benefits of using patient simulators in training medical reserve corps volunteers.

Conclusion: Ensuring that MRC volunteers are prepared to assist in any disaster, they must receive appropriate training. Resources and technology available at Centers for Public Health Preparedness help to ensure they are prepared.

Learning Objectives:

• 1.Describe the Medical Reserve Corps program and core curriculum trainings that should be offered.
• 2.List the benefits of a local health department partnering with an institution of higher learning to train medical reserve corps volunteers.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation