Required Training
The following three courses, based on core competency requirements from the national MRC office, are required for new volunteers:
1. Medical Reserve Corps 101
The content of this orientation includes:
• An overview of the national and state MRC programs
• An introduction to the local unit including:
? Interaction with regional response units
? Priorities and typical activities
• Review of basic concepts of disaster response
• Personal and family preparedness
• Life safety training (taking care of yourself and your peers)
• An introduction to the Incident Command System
2. Incident Command System (ICS) 100 and National Incident Management System
(NIMS) 700 – Classes on ICS and NIMS must be tailored for use by rank-and-file volunteers, with additional depth for team leaders.
To ensure that the concepts are as clear as possible, scenarios would be offered to show how ICS and NIMS can be applied successfully in a disaster. Training on these topics is available online at: Yale New Haven Health Center for Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response website located at: http://ynhhs.emergencyeducation.org/; http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/is700.asp and http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/is100.asp, as well as through a classroom format.
3. Psychological First Aid/Behavioral Health – Traumatic events impacts individuals differently. This course will provide basic information on providing safety and comfort for those impacted by an emergency or disaster. Additionally, staying safe and self-care for volunteers is emphasized.
Optional Trainings (Reminder Volunteers shall provide certification of the below trainings to Unit Coordinator)
Other courses are offered frequently and may include the following:
CPR/First Aid
Emergency Dispensing Site (EDS)
Bioterrorism, Decontamination, and Scene Safety – Volunteers will receive instruction in general bioterrorism concepts; agents (anthrax) and treatments (Cipro); contamination issues, decontamination techniques and whether a scene is safe to enter.
Personal Protective Equipment – This course is a key part of risk reduction and ensuring each member’s personal safety.
Disaster Triage and Treatment – This curriculum explains how volunteers should approach a staging area in which vast numbers of injured people need care. Course content would include standard forms for evaluating patients using the S.T.A.R.T. (Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment) system.
Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), Emergency Operations Center (EOC), Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) – Organizations including MEMA, FEMA, and the American Red Cross offer training on local implementations of these national concepts.
Targeted Sessions – In response to local volunteer interest, additional courses may be offered.
Online Courses – These classes are available as supplemental education tools and are continuously updated on our website: www.wmmrc.org.