MRC News

NWLa MRC Coordinator Makes Presentation to U.S. Surgeon General

4/21/2007 12:00:00 AM

Terry L. Strain, Coordinator of the Northwest Louisiana Medical Reserve Corps (a unit of the Caddo-Bossier Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness) is making a presentation to U.S. Surgeon General Rear Admiral Kenneth Moritsugu this week at the Medical Reserve Corps National Leadership and Training Conference in Providence, RI. Strain is a Physician Assistant-Certified, and Registered Respiratory Therapist who played a major role in medical care of evacuees during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Strain’s presentation is called Rapid Response Medical Module- Northwest Louisiana Medical Reserve Corps and Shreveport Regional Metropolitan Medical Response System Forging Partnerships for Emergency Preparedness and Response. A long title, yes, but it is very important stuff.

The Surgeon General is interested in seeing what northwest Louisiana has accomplished in terms of being able to decrease the amount of time between when the Medical Reserve Corps is activated and when it is deployed. In times of emergency, deployment must be both fast and coordinated. To be called upon to address the country’s Surgeon General is a big deal indeed.

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to introduce this exciting project which will enhance the response capability of the northwest Louisiana Medical Reserve Corps (NWLaMRC) to disasters by decreasing time between activation and deployment.” Strain attends the conference each year and says the information she gathers there helps make northwest Louisiana an even stronger and more well - prepared community.

The mission of the NWLaMRC is crucial. It maintains an active registry of prepared, trained and credentialed medical and support volunteers that are used for community medical response in times of emergency, such as during the sheltering phase of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Throughout the year, NWLaMRC volunteers also participate in activities to promote disease prevention, health education, health literacy and to address healthcare disparities. The unit is housed at the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness in Bossier City. The unit has recently received grant funding for volunteer recruitment and training.

Terry L. Strain