Public Health Emergency Preparedness – County of Saratoga, New York

The Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) program is responsible for planning and preparedness in the event of a public health disaster or threat such as infectious diseases, natural disasters, and biological or chemical threats. Emergency preparedness strives to ensure that individuals, families, and organizations are prepared in the event of a disaster. The PHEP program also works with volunteers to provide a platform to empower the citizens of Saratoga County to better prepare for and respond to an emergency through education and training.

Medical Reserve Corps

What is the Medical Reserve Corps?

The mission of the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) is to improve the health and safety of communities across the country by organizing and utilizing public health, medical and other volunteers. The MRC is a partner program with Citizen Corps, a national network of volunteers dedicated to ensuring hometown security. Citizen Corps, along with AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and the Peace Corps promote volunteerism and service nationwide.

The Saratoga County MRC encourages trainings and events among its volunteers to support public safety and health. The unit is comprised of both medical and non-medical volunteers because all skills are essential to assist the community in the event of a major disaster.

In a disaster or major emergency, MRC volunteers could be called up for activities that support disaster relief groups, community safety organizations, emergency medical services and community public health efforts.

What kind of training will I receive?

Training opportunities will be communicated via ServNY and email. Training sessions are offered as classroom and online formats. You will also receive Just-In-Time Training (JITT) if your services are called into action.

Become a Saratoga County Medical Reserve Corps Volunteer

MRC volunteers serve a vital role by assisting their local health department and community with ongoing public health initiatives.

Saratoga County Department of Health activities may include:
• First 72 Hours Presentation
• Saratoga County Fair staffing
• Health Clinic staffing
• Point of Dispensing site usage/maintenance/staffing

Interested in volunteering? Sign up for the Saratoga County Medical Reserve Corps through ServNY by visiting https://apps.health.ny.gov/pub/servny/.