Alvin McMahon, Coordinator for the Greater Fall River Medical Reserve Corps (GFRMRC), attended the 2009 Integrated Medical, Public Health, Preparedness and Response Training Summit in Dallas, Texas, from April 4th - 8th, 2009 on a scholarship grant from the National Association of County Health Officers (NACCHO).  The theme was "Learning Together for a Nation Prepared". McMahon was one of 3,281 attendees from national Medical Reserve Corps leadership, a large number of government health and human services personnel, and other public health and disaster management agencies. A major announcement made was that a partnership agreement was signed in Washington, DC, on April 2nd, between the American Red Cross and the Medical Reserve Corps. "I returned from the conference with a renewed enthusiasm to advance the GFRMRC with recruitment, training, and motivational ideas," reported McMahon. "Networking was also a key part of the training, as exchanging business cards and knowing your partners now, rather than at the scene of a disaster, is an important factor," he added. Click here to see photos of a recent training. 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) Top leaders of Public Health at opening session. (Top row, center): Coordinator of the Bristol/Norfolk MRC Anne Marie Fleming, Coordinator of the Greater Fall River MRC Alvin McMahon, Coordinator of the Bristol County MRC Cheryl Bushnell, and New England MRC Coordinator Jennifer Frenette. (Top row, right) Acting Deputy Director Surgeon General Rear Admiral Robert Williams, AnneMarie Fleming, Cheryl Bushnell, Coordinator of Worcester Regional MRC Shawn Winsor, Jennifer Frenette, Alvin McMahon, and Office of Surgeon General and Director of Civilian Volunteers MRC Capt. Robert Tosatto after the awards ceremony. (Middle row) The MRC New England Region 1 display table, which took the prize for the best MRC display. (Bottom row, left) Jennifer Frenette, Rear Admiral Robert Williams, Capt. Robert Tosatto, and Alvin McMahon (Bottom row, center) Alvin McMahon and Shawn Winsor on their way to the MRC Region 1 evening outing. (Bottom row, right) Alvin McMahon and Dept. of Health & Human Services Capt. Dean Coppola, a valuable asset in working with MRC Region 1.