Film/Video
NYC medical reserve corps: Healthcare volunteers serving the NYC community
Chris Paquet
New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Queens, NY
APHA's 2020 VIRTUAL Annual Meeting and Expo (Oct. 24 - 28)
The New York City Medical Reserve Corps (NYC MRC) is a trained group of over 9,000 members ready to respond to health emergencies. NYC MRC members help prepare communities and health care facilities for emergencies by participating in disaster exercises that test and improve NYC and health care facility response. During a disaster, members will serve in a variety of roles, such as supporting health facilities that experience a surge of incoming patients, providing health care to people in shelters who have been evacuated from their home, or assisting with the dispensing of medications or vaccines.
NYC MRC members also give back to community members in need every day, including regularly providing public health education on a range of topics, such as vector-borne diseases, as well as participating in local health fairs and screening people for high blood pressure.
This film depicts the type of work that NYC MRC members do, includes testimonials from members about their experience giving back to NYC communities, and explains the public health importance of NYC MRC's mission and the services members provide.