MRC: Expanding DRR in the Pacific Region

Rob Tosatto, RPh, MPH, MBACAPT, USPHS

Office of the Surgeon GeneralOffice of the Assistant Secretary for Health

February 2013

To Discuss…

What is the Medical Reserve Corps? What is the current status of the MRC in

the pacific region?How has/can the MRC contribute to

Disaster Risk Reduction efforts?

National network Mission: Engage volunteers to strengthen public

health, emergency response and community resiliency

Key Points: Organize/utilize locally Affiliate/integrate with existing programs and

resources Volunteer management -- identify, screen/verify

credentials, train

MRC “At A Glance”

4

MRC Volunteers

Sponsoring Organization: Department of Health Date Established: 10/8/2010 MRC Leader: Ben Sili Number Volunteers: 5 Recent Activities:

December 2012 – Tropical Cyclone Evan September 2012 – Outreach for National

Preparedness Month

American Samoa MRC

Sponsoring Organization: Department of Health and Social Affairs

Date Established: 2/22/2012 MRC Leader: Arthy Nena Number Volunteers: 20 Recent Activities:

September 2012 – Recruitment workshop July 2012 – FSM Women Leadership

Conference

Federated States of Micronesia MRC

Sponsoring Organization: Office of Homeland Security

Date Established: 7/11/2005 MRC Leader: Joe Flores Number Volunteers: 18 Recent Activities:

December 2012 – Pediatric Field Triage Training

September 2012 – Recruitment outreach to the University of Guam School of Nursing

Guam MRC

Sponsoring Organization: Commonwealth Healthcare Organization

Date Established: 2/2/2012 MRC Leader: Warren Villagomez Number Volunteers: 56 Recent Activities:

August 2012 – BP and DM checks at Tinian Labor Day Celebration

July 2012 – Hospital nurse recruitment and orientation

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands MRC

Sponsoring Organization: Ministry of Health Date Established: 5/23/2006 MRC Leader: Robert Maddison Number Volunteers: 21 Recent Activities:

November 2012 – Basic Life Support/ Basic Trauma Life Support Training

August 2012 – MRC Communication Drill

Palau MRC

MRC Activities

Activity Focus FY09 FY10 FY11 FY12

Administrative/Unit Development 921 1,054 1,866 3,535

Community Preparedness 1,576 1,496 1,695 2,124

Public Health 1,121 2,819 1,845 2,200

Emergency Response 774 1,834 997 1,173

Training 2,076 2,241 2,951 3,775

Total 6,468 9,444 9,354 12,807

Build resilience (↑R)Reduce exposure (↓E)Reduce susceptibility (↓S)

MRC Activities…in the context of DRR

Risk = H x V

where V = (E x S)/R

Public Health Activities …Reduce Susceptibility

Disease preventionReduce obesityScreeningImmunization

Health promotion and education

Health services

MRC can help to educate the community…about

health and DRR

Robert J. Tosatto, RPh, MPH, MBACaptain, US Public Health Service

Director, Division of the Civilian Volunteer Medical Reserve CorpsOffice of the Surgeon General

Tower Building, Suite 2001101 Wootton Parkway

Rockville, MD 20852(240) 453-8218

robert.tosatto@hhs.gov

www.medicalreservecorps.gov