Training sessions for participants in the Bristol County Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) on pandemic flu and the Incident Command System (ICS) were held on March 5, 2009, at Stanley Street Treatment and Resources (SSTAR). Dr. Alfred DeMaria, Massachusetts Department of Public Health's Director of Communicable Disease Control, presented on the nature of pandemics and the phases of response to a pandemic. Following his presentation, a meeting of the Greater Fall River Medical Reserve Corps Advisory and Steering Committee was held to focus on current issues.  At 6:00 PM the same day, Col. David Gavigan of the Bristol County Sheriff's Office presented on the ICS system and the chain of command and the system of managing multi-agency personnel in responding to an emergency. Volunteers from all walks of life support the Medical Reserve Corps. For information on how to become a Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) volunteer, go to the Bristol County MRC Collaborative website and locate the MRC unit covering your community. Click here for photos of one of the first training sessions. For further information, contact Bristol County MRC Training Coordinator Cheryl Bushnell at  508-367-7519 or Alvin L. McMahon, Coordinator of the Greater Fall River MRC, at 401-864-1597.
 

(Top row, left) Somerset Town Nurse Tammy LaMothe welcomes participants in the morning session on pandemic flu to the conference at Stanley Street Treatment and Resources (SSTAR). (Top row, right) Dr. Alfred DeMaria, Massachusetts Department of Public Health's Director of Communicable Disease Control, describes some of the features of a flu pandemic. (Middle row, left) Fall River Director of Health and Human Services, Henry Vaillancourt, M.D., is among the participants in the morning conference. (Middle row, right) Col. David Gavigan of the Bristol County Sheriff's Office describes the elements in the ICS system. (Bottom row, left) Bristol County MRC Training Coordinator Cheryl Bushnell goes over some of the upcoming training events. (Bottom row, center) Coordinator of the Greater Fall River MRC Alvin L. McMahon chairs a meeting of the group. (Bottom row, right) Fall River Health Department nurse Margaret Canulla, R.N. talks with Fall River Family Service Association case manager Donna Wingate about volunteering for the Greater Fall River MRC.