The Northern Kentucky Medical Reserve Corps provides citizens of both medical and non-medical backgrounds with a way to help their communities during a public health emergency.

Anyone interested in joining the Medical Reserve Corps is invited to attend an orientation session from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 20, at the Health Department’s District Office, 610 Medical Village Drive, Edgewood, Ky. A light breakfast will be provided.

The Northern Kentucky Medical Reserve Corps is a branch of the federal government’s Medical Reserve Corps program, and its goal is to provide a volunteer pool for the Northern Kentucky region that can enhance and support public health agencies and the health care infrastructure during a crisis. Since the Medical Reserve Corps was created in 2002, the program has grown to more than 200,000 volunteers in nearly 1,000 units across the country. Northern Kentucky’s MRC unit alone has more than 450 members.

Volunteers would be asked to serve in their own community; but may also choose to volunteer for the Tristate region or for communities in need around Kentucky. Volunteers will be offered trainings throughout the year that will support personal preparedness and basic disaster response skills, as well as developing specialized skills needed for a public health emergency response.

Anyone age 18 or older is eligible, and people with both medical and non-medical training are encouraged to join.

For more information about the Medical Reserve Corps, please contact Jean Caudill at  or , or visit http://www.nkyhealth.org/Medical-Reserve-Corps.aspx.  If you plan to attend an orientation, call or e-mail Jean Caudill to register in advance.