Volunteer efforts earn kudos for emergency response teams

BY DAVE BENJAMIN
Staff Writer

Volunteer efforts earn kudos
for emergency response teams
BY DAVE BENJAMIN
Staff Writer

MANALAPAN — The Medical Reserve Corps Program of the U.S. Surgeon General’s Office has commended the Manalapan Board of Health and its Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) unit.

At the National Association of Local Boards of Health Annual Educational Conference held in Denver, July 28-31, Commander Rob Tosatto, director of the Medical Reserve Corps Program Office, said, "Manalapan is to be commended for their broad range of activities, their excellent planning and coordination, their kind willingness to share information with other communities and their overall enthusiasm for the MRC concept. They are truly doing some great work."

The Manalapan Board of Health has coordinated the volunteer MRC and the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) which responds to emergencies and disasters and assists public health and emergency medical services during those events.

Manalapan received a federal demonstration pilot grant from the Office of the Surgeon General in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to develop an MRC.

The inaugural Manalapan CERT class graduated in May. The class consisted of 31 resident volunteers who completed the training program. The CERT program is a nationally recognized activity administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and is part of the federal government’s citizen corps initiative.

"Chairman Walter Stein, Vice Chairwoman Kim Silverstein and board members Dr. Phil Tutnauer and Steven Levine attended the conference, which was designed for local board of health members from throughout the country," said Dave Richardson, Manalapan’s health officer. "The premise of the conference was to explore the development of programs and to identify the needs within the community."

Stein is also the Mid-Atlantic trustee of the National Association of Local Boards of Health Board of Directors.

"Kim Silverstein made a presentation at the conference about the Manalapan Medical Reserve Corps," Richardson said. "She co-presented with Rob Tosatto."

Richardson said Silverstein’s intent was to encourage other boards of health to start their own medical reserve corps.

"I heard that went very well," he said. "Attendees walked away with a lot of information and insight as to how to get that started."

Manalapan representatives also took advantage of the other board of health programs for communities, Richardson said.

"We continue to be very proud of our volunteer Community Emergency Response Team and the recognition they are receiving from the federal government," Mayor Beth Ward said.