National Preparedness Month is a time to reflect on the volunteers who make a difference by improving the health and safety of their communities, especially during a public health emergency. The response to Hurricane Fiona last year is a perfect example. The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) of Puerto Rico demonstrated the value that these units bring to disaster response: by preparing people in the community to face the coming storm, in treating people’s bodies and minds following the disaster, and by providing volunteer services that offer a positive return on investment.

Hurricane Fiona struck Puerto Rico on September 18, 2022. From September 15, 2022, to October 28, 2022, the Puerto Rico MRC unit served more than 3,000 people on the island, providing volunteer services with an economic value of approximately $23,000. The MRC of Puerto Rico provided behavioral health support, medical screenings, hygiene kits, and larvicide tablets to control mosquito infestation. This MRC unit also improved situational awareness between the unit and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary’s Operations Center by being the eyes and ears on the grounds.

Learning from Cascading Disasters

Understanding that every major disaster impacts behavioral health, the MRC of Puerto Rico prepared for the next emergency by integrating behavioral health instruction into its training program. They recruited volunteers and formed specialized strike teams, including a behavioral health response team known as R.E.S.T.: the Relief Emotional Support Team. The R.E.S.T. is a group of mental health professionals who provide behavioral health support to community members and responders, but you don’t have to be a behavioral health professional to provide support. Every member of the unit is offered training in Psychological First Aid (PFA), an evidence-informed approach to helping people who have experienced a traumatic event such as a disaster. Psychological First Aid can be valuable during a disaster response operation, and it is particularly helpful when combined with a R.E.S.T. strike team by supporting people who are coping with the psychological effects after a major disaster

In addition, the MRC of Puerto Rico, which is based in San Juan, has built strong partnerships with its local health department, area universities, local and international relief organizations, and other well-known community partners. The unit supports health activities in at-risk communities when not activated for an emergency or disaster. It has provided wound care, over-the-counter medication, management of chronic conditions, and behavioral health services, ensuring they are building strong relationships with the communities they will serve when disaster strikes.

Taking Advantage of the Calm Before the Storm

When the storm approached, the MRC of Puerto Rico was ready to spring into action. The MRC of Puerto Rico started by connecting with its volunteers before the storm to confirm their availability and to place them on standby. As the storm approached, the unit activated and deployed to distribute 450 handouts that contained information for community members on how to prepare for the storm. MRC members also provided CPR training to people in the community.

Addressing Community Needs After Landfall

Physical and mental health needs skyrocket after a disaster, adding strain to health systems. The planning and partnerships that the MRC of Puerto Rico established before the storm enabled it to rapidly provide a range of services across the island.

• Behavioral Health: A R.E.S.T. staffed an emotional support hotline available to MRC volunteers, first responders, healthcare professionals, and community members. PFA-trained MRC volunteers were readily able to identify people needed behavioral health support and refer them to the R.E.S.T. A total of 59 people received behavioral support services from the R.E.S.T.
• Medical Screening and Support: Leveraging existing relationships, MRC volunteer health professionals deployed across the island to provide medical screenings and support, especially in areas without essential services such as power and water At the Bobby Cruz Convention Center in Hormigueros, MRC volunteers provided medical evaluations, treated wounds, and provided over the counter and prescription medications to at-risk individuals. In addition, volunteers performed “well checks” in the community, going door-to-door to see if individuals or families needed support. A total of 71 people received physical health screenings from MRC volunteers.
• Distribution of Resources: Immediately after the storm, the weather was hot and humid, and people still lacked access to many essential services, including sanitation services in many cases. The MRC of Puerto Rico distributed 1,260 personal hygiene kits and 2,554 larvicide tablets to combat mosquito-borne illness to vulnerable communities and local organizations positioned to help residents. In addition, MRC distributed 450 handouts detailing the 12 steps to prepare for an emergency, including information on securing essential documents.
• Enhancing Situational Awareness: The MRC of Puerto Rico, working through their local health department, provided real-time response information to the MRC Region 2 Liaison, who conveyed that information to the Region 2 HHS ASPR team who informed the HHS Secretary’s Operations Center of the MRC of Puerto Rico’s R.E.S.T activation and provision of Psychological First Aid. The MRC’s reports provided insight on the community’s needs to ensure they were being met. The Puerto Rico unit was on the frontlines of meeting those needs.

The response to Hurricane Fiona is an excellent example of the outstanding support that an MRC unit can bring to local communities. With preparation, training, and teamwork, the unit assisted people in both urban and rural communities recover from the storm. As National Preparedness Month ends, we encourage MRC units to consider how the MRC of Puerto Rico’s investments in preparedness efforts proved to have a positive impact during a major disaster.

If you are interested in volunteering your time to serve in your area’s MRC, reach out to the unit nearest you and commit to becoming one of the more than 300,000 MRC volunteers who strengthen health in their communities before, during, and after disasters.