11/09/2023
After the life-altering events of 9/11, the volunteer physicians
recognized the need for an organized group of medical
volunteers who would be trained and prepared to provide
supplemental medical and public health support in response to
emergency operations in New York City. The group submitted a
proposal to the city, requesting that a cadre of trained medical
volunteers be established; the proposal was later expanded to
suggest a nationwide group of volunteers be developed—a
concept that eventually reached President George W. Bush and
Congress.
A second impetus to the MRC’s creation was the response to
the anthrax letters in October and November 2001, which was
limited mostly to Congressional staff and postal workers. The
administration realized that, should large-scale mass dispensing/
mass vaccination be required, the United States would need a
group of organized volunteers ready to respond.
During President Bush’s delivery of the 2002 State of the Union
Address, he asked all Americans to volunteer in support of their
country. Shortly after this speech, the MRC was formed as a
partnership with Citizen Corps, a national network dedicated
to ensuring hometown security. NACCHO supports the MRC
through a cooperative agreement with the Office of the Civilian
Volunteer Medical Reserve Corps (OCVMRC), headquartered
within the Office of the Surgeon General.
The events of 9/11 motivated public health, medical, and non-medical professionals throughout the country to volunteer in their
local communities.
