A guest entry by Teresa Blakeslee, the Medical Reserve Corps Coordinator for the district.

When Disaster Strikes…Are You Ready To Serve?

Don’t Wait, Affiliate!

When natural or human-caused disasters strike, people look for ways to contribute to the relief of the survivors. Many people have a strong psychological need to volunteer in a disaster. Does that sound like you? Are you ready to serve? Read on to see….

Volunteers who have not previously affiliated with a disaster response agency represent a tremendous resource for a community that’s been hit with a disaster. However when volunteers are well-coordinated through an organization such as the Medical Reserve Corps, everyone benefits.

Despite the best intentions of the spontaneous unaffiliated volunteer (SUV’s), your presence may compound, rather than alleviate, the problems in the disaster area. Why? You will have minimal access to food, water, shelter and medicine. SUV’s arriving on the scene will not have identification/clearance to enter a disaster zone to help. Some disasters may be the scene of crimes of desperation or the products of violent conflict, so you must also consider your personal security. Disease can spread quickly in disaster areas and you may need pre-treatment to avoid becoming ill.

You aren't emotionally prepared for the overwhelming stress of working in a disaster area and assisting disaster victims, and the long hours associated with response efforts. You may quickly succumb to your own emotional and physical limitations, and be part of the problem rather than the solution.

If you are not prepared to serve, join an organization such as the Medical Reserve Corps before the need is great. You will be provided free training and disaster exercises to help strengthen you to serve, help you learn to avoid your own distress on the scene, and help the overall operation through a structured response, ultimately being able to help victims recover more quickly.

If you have local knowledge or special skills, the Medical Reserve Corps has a way to incorporate you into their relief effort through pre-credentialing and pre-training for rapid response. Without this, you will wait at a volunteer reception center (VRC) to be processed for placement in the field behind those who have been pre-qualified.

Finally, it is likely you will want to help, and your help will be needed.

Visit http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/mrc/ to learn more about the Medical Reserve Corps who is seeking medical as well as support volunteers now to add to the ranks of a dedicated cadre of volunteers committed and in training to improving the health, safety, and resiliency of our communities!

Don’t Wait, Affiliate! Join today!

Radiation and the community....

One of the best tools for explaining radiation exposures and risk to our own staff was prepared secondary to the damage at Fukushima and although not inclusive, provides a level of perspective for folks.


There had been a great deal of opinions related to the Fukushima incident in the couple of months following the earthquake and tsunami. Like many folks, I had many questions. Unlike many, I could read the information coming from the blogosphere with a skeptical eye and a little more knowledge than the average citizen as a submarine corpsman (read that as health physics technician).

I dislike "worst case scenario" writing without identifying the story as such. The folks who articulated some facts and then extend the very loose logic into and end of the world story. I recently read a post by a physician who correctly stated that the International Commission on Radiation Protection determined that any radiation exposure can be dangerous. She then suggested (in very strong language) that the incidence of cancers will significantly increase. I think she is wrong to come to a conclusion without providing the reader good data (at least).

Many of the science writers for a wide variety on online do not put information in perspective for the reader. A person who is reading a great deal about the incident because they don't know, sees the headline "Radiation detected is 150 mSieverts...". They ask themselves, Is that a big number or a little number? And read the context.. The writer and the reader without the understanding that important information is missing: The range of detection, was it "on contact", at two feet etc. The writer should offer perspective. The inverse square law (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverse-square_law) should be articulated to reader. "Double the distance and quarter the dose" would suffice to calm fears.

The Centers for Disease Control and Protections (CDC) has provided additional guidance for medical personnel, planners and the public (http://emergency.cdc.gov/radiation/). A great deal of this information and related activities will be of significant use to our public health colleagues who have not had exposure to the subjects. Those folks who are responsible for communities adjacent to the 104 nuclear power stations in the US are a bit better prepared since there are utility evaluations performed by FEMA every couple of years.

In any event, the district will continue to address radiation in concert with the other public health priorities.

Social Networking Integration

There are so many opportunities for the public and colleagues to access information. There have been a few places where we can provide multiple posts to the various social networking sites. Our objective within the realm of EP&R programs, is to provide passive access to information for general consumption.

The addition of Facebook, Twitter and perhaps blog feeds to the health district's web page looks like an option. We are also considering the addition of downloadable products to support the various programs. I hope that we can widget the blog onto the page and see how it goes....