This year’s theme for National Preparedness Month focuses on Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities and highlights why it is important for this diverse community to prepare for disasters and build resilience before disaster strikes. This month, we feature MRC units who are working daily to support these communities.

Maui County Health Volunteers (HI)

For the past several years, volunteers of Maui County Health Volunteers in Hawaii have been actively responding to emergencies. During the COVID-19 pandemic, volunteers supported contact tracing, testing, and vaccinations. Last year, volunteers were active in response and recovery for at least six months in response to the Maui wildfires.

Within the first week following the wildfire, the unit stood up to assist with the community assistance center which was collecting DNA to help identify victims. MRC unit volunteers provided behavioral and mental health support.

As part of the response, public health nurses within the health department stood up a comprehensive health center providing a range of services to those without transportation or unable to relocate. MRC practitioners provided on-site and satellite care to those seeking services at the health center.

When residents were allowed to re-enter the wildfire impact area, there was a high need for education about health risks and PPE. Volunteers assisted at three centers coordinated by county services.

“Some volunteers were working with those they knew in the community,” said Unit Coordinator Bridget Velasco. “They were able to hold space, listening to residents and being that person to offer connection to help. It’s hard to put a value or train for the empathy and types of compassion volunteers show. Having that local connection to the community is so valuable.”

To help prepare for this response, volunteers completed psychological first aid (PFA) training as a basic foundation.

Outside of active response, the unit works to enhance volunteer skills. They offer a couple of in-person trainings like CPR and Stop the Bleed. They also do hybrid trainings that can be taken virtually or in-person. For example, a recent Narcan training was offered as a hybrid training with both virtual and in-person participants.

The district health officer has also joined virtual sessions to provide updates on community needs. Topics have included vaping and environmental contaminants. Recordings from these sessions are made available for those unable to attend live.

Looking ahead, Velasco is interested in developing specialized teams within the unit.

American Samoa MRC

The American Samoa MRC unit supports about 55,000 residents of its small island home in the Polynesia region of the South Pacific Ocean. The unit began in 2010 with 4-5 volunteers from within the Department of Health. It has grown to 25 volunteers, who are primarily medical, including EMS personnel and LPNs. The unit’s non-medical volunteers support activities including logistics.

The unit has supported response to Zika, Dengue, the COVID-19 pandemic, and measles. They’re also active now in the eradication of lymphatic filariasis, supporting partners including the Department of Health, CDC, and the WHO. In a fourth round of this program, volunteers are going to families to give out medication and doing direct observation to see that it is taken.

During the COVID-19 response, volunteers served as support staff assisting with management of PPE which was flown to the island and then transferred from the airport to storage sites. American Samoa’s borders were closed for a year early in the pandemic and, once the border opened, volunteers also assisted nurses at hotels which served as quarantine locations.

“The MRC plays a vital role in response,” said State Coordinator Ben Sili. “We’re a small island and everyone knows someone who knows you. Our involvement shows that the community is taking part in response.”

The unit also collaborates with Homeland Security and the Red Cross, relationships they are working to build and grow. Unit Leader Chloe Pila anticipates doing some trainings together as well as recruitment. Volunteers participate in an annual workshop with other agencies to promote the MRC and recruit. They also participate in fairs to connect with students at the high school and college levels.

Looking ahead, the unit is working with Samoan Affairs Department and hopes to go into villages to do health screenings and health education with the unit’s nurses and CNAs. They’re also preparing for their next training, which will be in CPR.

“We are so proud of our volunteers,” said Pila. “We want to make sure we have regular trainings to support them.”

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Medical Reserve Corps: Rebuilding Strength and Resilience in the Pacific

In 2012, the Commonwealth Healthcare Coalition established their Medical Reserve Corps Unit which serves the 15 islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Their focus is on Saipan, Rota, and Tinian, where most of the population resides. For more than a decade, the CNMI MRC has responded to numerous natural disasters, including the devastating Typhoon Yutu in 2018 that triggered the largest emergency response in CNMI’s history. The long-term recovery from Typhoon Yutu and additional challenges arose during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lockdowns disrupted training and led to volunteer dispersion, weakening the MRC’s capacity.

In response, the CNMI MRC applied and was selected for the MRC-STTRONG (State, Territory, and Tribal Nations Representative Organizations for Next Generation) Award, aimed at revitalizing the unit and restoring its leadership in the Pacific region. With support from the Commonwealth Healthcare Coalition, the MRC unit plans to rebuild by integrating volunteers into emergency planning and training initiatives statewide. Over the next two years, the unit will focus on leadership development, volunteer recruitment, and workforce training to reintegrate the program into CNMI’s emergency response infrastructure and enhance resilience across the islands.

CNMI MRC is already making progress with the support of STTRONG funding in strengthening partnerships and enhancing recruitment efforts across the archipelago. CNMI MRC has been building strong relationships with local educational institutions, including colleges and nursing programs, to establish a sustainable pipeline for future MRC volunteers. Drafting memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with these institutions will help facilitate ongoing student involvement in the local MRC unit. Another key strategy involves promoting the MRC through billboards on each island to raise public awareness about the program.

Recruiting and engaging volunteers in the CNMI poses unique challenges due to the islands’ small size, geographic dispersion, and logistical/transportation barriers. However, with the support of the STTRONG funding, these efforts have already seen significant improvement. The CNMI MRC has successfully recruited 350 volunteers, including over 60 medical professionals. This growing pool of volunteers will play a critical role in addressing public health needs and bolstering emergency response capabilities across the islands.