Division of Emergency Preparedness and Response

Hampshire Public Health Preparedness Coalition

https://sites.google.com/site/publichealthpreparedness/

Hampshire Public Health Preparedness Coalition works collaboratively to enhance communities collective capacity to share resources and respond to public health threats and emergencies, including terrorism and outbreaks of infectious diseases. We strive to improve local and regional public health emergency preparedness, and meet deliverables set forth by the Department of Public Health. 

HPHPC includes Boards of Health and Health Departments in the Massachusetts Preparedness Coalition Region 1C. Funding is provided through the Massachusetts Department of Public Health with a grant from the Centers for Disease Control. Coalition activities and expenditures are overseen by an executive committee which includes members who represent the broad geographic diversity of the region. Ex-officio members include representatives from Cooley Dickinson Hospital and UMass Amherst. The HPHPC grant is managed by the Northampton Health Department as the Host Agency. The Coalition is closely aligned with other regional response partners including: Hampshire Regional Emergency Planning Committee (HREPC), Western Regional Advisory Group (WAG), Western MA Medical Reserve Corps Advisory Group (MAG) and the Pandemic Flu Committee of the Western Regional Homeland Security Advisory Council (WRHSAC).

Member Communities:

Amherst, Belchertown, Chester, Chesterfield, Cummington, Easthampton, Goshen, Granby, Hadley, Hatfield, Huntington, Middlefield, Northampton, Pelham, Plainfield, South Hadley, Southampton, Ware, Westhampton, and Worthington

Hampshire County Medical Reserve Corps
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The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) is a national volunteer program dedicated to building strong, healthy and prepared communities.  The Hampshire County MRC Unit consists of more than 1300 trained volunteers with medical and non-medical experience.  They help us strengthen public health, improve emergency response capabilities and build community resiliency.  Our volunteers have assisted with flu clinics, medication dispensing sites, emergency shelters, large preplanned community events, and community education programs.   


Volunteers are always needed and there are service opportunities for everyone!  Being a Medical Reserve Corps volunteer means you're pre-registered and approved to assist during emergencies.   The Department of Public Health will do a CORI check and Medical License verification on all of our volunteers in advance so there is no delay for volunteers to help when needed.  


MA Responds is a statewide volunteer management system designed to identify and credential volunteers so they can be properly utilized in an emergency.  After enlisting, volunteers become eligible for a variety of cost-free training opportunities. Volunteers are not required to live or work in Hampshire County, as long as they are willing to participate in unit activities. 


To register: www.MAresponds.org

  1. Visit www.maresponds.org to register as a volunteer
  2. Select the unit Hampshire County MRC under Region 1
  3. Enter volunteer information
  4. Complete the Background Check/CORI form
  5. Print, sign and mail to: PO Box 241, Easthampton, MA 01027