Preparing for emergencies and disasters does not end with your own family. Large scale emergencies and disasters require community wide efforts to lessen the impact of an event. Whether it is filling sandbags during a flood, or providing basic medical care to large numbers of sick individuals, Carver County will need volunteers willing to help their community during emergencies or disasters.
There are many organizations in Carver County looking for volunteers to help their community in times of need. And most of these organizations require no special training or education.
The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) is part of a nationwide initiative to recruit and train volunteers to help their communities respond to all types of health disasters.
The MRC provides the opportunity for teams of local volunteers to contribute their time and expertise when they are needed in a health emergency. While most MRC volunteers have a health care background, this is not a requirement. Anyone interested in helping their community during a health disaster is welcome to join.
The Carver County MRC offers orientations throughout the year for individuals interested in learning more about the program and becoming volunteers. For members of the MRC, trainings are offered throughout the year as well. For information on both orientation and trainings, please visit our orientation and training schedule webpage.
Carver, Dakota, and Scott Counties have a mutual interest in expanding the availability and type of Medical Reserve Corps training courses for their volunteers. All three counties are developing the South Metro MRC Collaborative of Carver, Dakota and Scott Counties. This effort will result in more training opportunities and class locations for MRC volunteers who reside in the southwest metro area. Public health agencies will be able to call upon MRC volunteers who have had more chances to gain knowledge and practice by attending the collaborative sessions. Our communities will benefit from MRC volunteers' expertise in a time of a public health emergency. For additional information on this collaborative, please contact us at the information below.
Individuals interested in the Medical Reserve Corps of Carver County should call (952) 361-1314 or email MRC@co.carver.mn.us. For more information on MRC nationally, visit www.medicalreservecorps.gov. Additionally, individuals interested in signing up for the MRC online can visit www.mnresponds.org.
Red Cross volunteers are saving lives every day. Volunteers can help victims displaced by fires, floods, tornadoes and other emergencies. The Red Cross and their volunteers help provide 24/7 emergency communications to members of the U.S. military and their families through Red Cross Armed Forces Emergency Services. Even if you have a busy schedule, you can save a life by simply donating blood.
You can reach the Carver County chapter of the Red Cross at (952) 467-4449 or by e-mailing info@carvercountyredcross.org.
Waconia Area Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and Citizen Corps ask you to embrace the personal responsibility to be prepared; to get training in first aid and emergency skills; and to volunteer to support local emergency responders, disaster relief, and community safety. The CERT Program, first founded in 1985 by the Los Angeles Fire Department, educates people about emergency/disaster preparedness and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, and disaster medical operations. Using their training, CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event and can take a more active role in preparing their community. The program is administered by the US Department of Homeland Security - Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and is part of the Citizen Corps Council.
Individuals interested in joining Waconia Area CERT should contact Tom Powers at 952-442-2316 or email at WaconiaAreaCERT@aol.com.
