Medical Reserve Corps discusses training programs, plans membership drive

Members of the Saline County Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) held a brief business meeting at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 12, in Buckner Wellness Center at Fitzgibbon Hospital in Marshall.

Russ Donnell, MRC coordinator, reported on discussions he had recently with Fire Chief John Rieves, who is also emergency director for the city of Marshall.

Donnell said Rieves, who is revising the Emergency Operations Plan for the city, will include the MRC in the new document.

Rieves also mentioned the possibility of finding grant money to purchase an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), a user-friendly piece of medical equipment that can provide a life-saving shock to a heart that has stopped beating.

MRC plans to begin a membership drive in late February and early March in conjunction with a county-wide blood drive.

Donnell emphasized that in the event of an emergency, more than medical personnel will likely be needed.

Area residents who don't have medical training, but do have important skills like data processing, clerical or building skills might also be needed to provide assistance to those affected by the circumstances.

Nationwide, MRC groups are primarily made up of non-medical personnel; the local group is almost exclusively medical-affiliated professionals. The membership drive would help address that disparity.

Donnell said one of the challenges for MRC units is to maintain focus when there are no emergencies, and suggested involvement in local and national efforts to address the issue of childhood obesity is a good way to do that.

More discussion on that issue will take place at future meetings.

Other suggestions from members included a walk-run for dogs and their owners and/or a tie-in with a planned walk-run in Slater scheduled during the Steve McQueen Days celebration in early spring.

The MRC 20-plus volunteers received training on radio protocol from Sheriff Wally George at the November meeting and CPR training at the October meeting.

A Citizen Corps Program Grant from the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) of $9,600 was awarded to the MRC in October. Two additional grants of $500 each in November from Community Bank and Wood & Huston Bank may be used to help purchase the AED for the unit.

In other business, CPR instructor classes originally scheduled for Dec. 12 have been moved to Jan. 9.

The group's next meeting is Thursday, Jan. 10, at Buckner Wellness Center at 5 p.m.

Contact Kathy Fairchild at

marshallhealth@socket.net