Volunteer
Since the tragic events of September 11, 2001, and more recently hurricanes Katrina and Rita, communities across the nation have been pulling together to improve their level of disaster preparedness. Public safety and emergency management agencies, as well as the health care community, have forged relationships with their communities to become better prepared. Are you willing to serve your community and neighbors in the event of an emergency?
Volunteers Make the Difference!
Hamilton County Public Health is looking for people to assist with Points of Dispensing (POD) in the event of a public health emergency. The federal government requires public health agencies to ensure that civilian populations have timely access to antibiotics or vaccines in the event of future outbreaks, such as a bioterrorism attack or pandemic flu outbreak. A POD is a location where medications or vaccines will be distributed. It will be opened if many people within our community have been exposed to an infection that may make them sick and disease from that infection can be prevented by antibiotics or a vaccine. In order to reduce travel, wait time and provide a familiar location Hamilton County will have many community-level PODs. All volunteers will be among the first to receive antibiotics/vaccines for themselves and their immediate family without waiting in line at a POD. Each person at the POD will have a specific and limited job such as handling paperwork, directing lines, answering questions or administering vaccines for an 8 - 12 hour time slot. Time commitment will be minimal for orientation and training exercises. All volunteers will be trained thoroughly by our staff. Both medical and non-medical volunteers are needed.
All Experience Levels, Backgrounds Needed
Regardless of your professional background, local volunteers are needed to roll up their sleeves and help their community during an emergency. While we recognize your first duty is to your family and your job, we urge you to register as a volunteer. We invite you to attend an upcoming, two hour Introduction to the Tristate Medical Reserve Corps course to learn more and take the first steps to registering as a volunteer.
Register Now!
- You must register under the Tri-state Medical Reserve Corps to be covered for liability during exercises and actual events.
- Registered volunteers and their families will have priority in receiving vaccinations and medications.
- As a registered volunteer, if you are called to help you and you are unable to do so, you are not committed to help.
- Pre-registration will be a significant time-saver when an emergency arises.
- Help make a difference in your community!
Become a registered POD Volunteer through the Tri-state Medical Reserve Corps in three simple steps:
- Attend a brief orientation
- Register online
- Receive picture ID
To register to be a POD volunteer it is important that you follow these explicit instructions. You may also call 946-7935 for more information or assistance.
Go to: www.serveohio.org/
From the home page click on the Ohio Medical Reserve Corps logo.
This will take you to the Ohio Medical Reserve Corps page. Scroll down the page and look for: Get involved - Register As A New Volunteer or complete the interest card below for more information!
Click on Register As A New Volunteer.
*This will take you to the Welcome to Ohio Responds page.
Click on the Register button under New Volunteers.
*This will bring you to the Registration Instruction page.
Read the directions carefully and hit continue at the bottom of the page.
Click the icon of the Ohio Medical Reserve Corps volunteer group to join.
Click "Next" at the bottom of the page.
*This will take you to the Volunteer Profile page.
Enter your profile information
IMPORTANT NOTES: - Please specify which village, township or city you live in under the HM City field. (Example: Springfield Township, Amberley Village, Blue Ash, Glendale, etc.).
- You don’t need to select a healthcare provider type unless you have a medical license. If you do, you will be prompted to enter information regarding your medical license on the next page.
- You don’t have to select any additional counties to volunteer in.
- You don’t have to have a medical license to register for the POD thorough the TMRC.
- Use the comment section to specify if you are volunteering for your Community POD only.
- When you’re finished click "Next"
Continue to follow the instructions, completing all your volunteer profile pages
and clicking "Next" when finishing each page.
On the last page you will be asked to confirm your personal information. Once you’ve reviewed your profile click "Register" to join or click "Back" to make changes.