What a busy time for the MRC Workgroup this past month! This month, the workgroup was able to hold its first in-person meeting at the 2014 Preparedness Summit. Almost all of the workgroup members were able to attend, and were finally able to put faces to the voices they’d been hearing for so long.

The Workgroup’s Preparedness Summit meeting was robust and full of special guests. The workgroup had a unique opportunity to demo the new MRC Connect web- and mobile-based application with the developers, Rallyware, in the room to offer feedback. Each workgroup member had a temporary account created for the demo and were able to play around with all of the features and comment on the interface when using their smartphones, tablets or laptop computers. Workgroup members were impressed with MRC Connect and were able to offer valuable feedback both to NACCHO and Rallyware from an end-user perspectives.

The MRC Workgroup was also able to provide a thorough review of its resources for its Factors for Success Resource recommendation to the Division of Civilian Volunteer Medical Reserve Corps (DCVMRC). With the workgroup one step closer to finalizing its recommendations, a formal submission is planned in the next month. Workgroup members are hopeful that the resource recommendations made will be approved and added to the DCVMRC’s website for use by the rest of the Network.

Aside from the workgroup’s in-person meeting, workgroup members were busy volunteering their time with several other Preparedness Summit activities. Workgroup members participated in the Preparedness Summit point-of-dispensing exercise during Wednesday’s lunch, some members were featured speakers in a few podcasts, and all workgroup members were essential in staffing NACCHO’s MRC Booth. By staffing the booth, they were able to have converse with other MRC volunteers and Summit attendees passing by explaining their role on the Workgroup and the guidance they provide to several of NACCHO’s MRC deliverables. All in all, this was a great week and rewarding experience for Workgroup members and NACCHO greatly appreciates their time in efforts in the helping to make the Preparedness Summit such a success.