NWTEMC

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• NWTEMC
• Medical Reserve Corps
• Roberta Losik-Welch

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NWTEMC

• Northwest Tribal Emergency Management Council
• Group of Northwest tribes working together
• to develop emergency management programs for
• their respective tribes
• Shared resources for development of
• CEMPs, NIMS compliance, training, drills,
  exercises, grant-writing and governmental issues

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NWTEMC (10) Member Tribes

• Lummi Nation
• Nooksack Indian Tribe
• Samish Indian Nation
• Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe
• Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe
• Snoqualmie Tribe
• Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians
• Swinomish Indian Tribal Community
• Tulalip Tribes
• Upper Skagit Tribe

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Washington Tribes
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Washington State 18 MRC Units

• Carnation-Duvall MRC
• Carnation, WA
• Central Washington MRC
• Yakima, WA
• Fall City MRC
• Fall City, WA
• Grays Harbor Emergency Health Worker Reserve
  Corps
• Aberdeen, WA
• Island County MRC
• Coupeville, WA
• Kitsap County Department of Emergency Management
  MRC
• Bremerton, WA
• MRC of Eastern Washington
• Spokane, WA
• NWTEMC MRC (7/07)
• Multi-tribe representation
• Pierce County MRC
• Tacoma, WA

• Public Health Reserve Corps for Seattle and King
  County
• Seattle, WA
• Region IV MRC (Southwest Washington)
• Vancouver, WA
• Skagit County MRC
• Mt Vernon, WA
• Snohomish County MRC
• Everett, WA
• Snoqualmie Tribe MRC (7/07)
• Snoqualmie, WA
• Tulalip Tribes MRC (5/07)
• Tulalip, WA
• Vashon Island MRC
• Vashon Is, WA
• Washington Region 3 MRC
• Olympia, WA
• Whatcom County MRC
• Bellingham, WA

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NWTEMC Tribes

• 10 Tribes
• 5 western WA counties
• Tribal lands covering over 40,000 acres
• Acreage varies per tribe from 20 to gt20,000
• Combined enrolled tribal members gt13,000
• Populations vary on reservations for each tribe

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NWTEMC Tribes

• 8 tribes operate a health clinic
• Recruitment
• Resources
• 8 tribes operate a tribal casino
• Planning
• Management, Health Safety Dept

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• How will the NWTEMC - MRC program
• work within our tribal communities?

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Overview of NWTEMC Medical Reserve Corps

• Collaborative MRC unit for member tribes of the
  NWTEMC
• Representatives from each tribe
• Encourage each tribe to consider using MRC
  resources in their communities

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NWTEMC - MRC

• Primary
• recruit and train volunteers for emergency
  response within tribal communities
• support tribal emergency management, existing EMS
  and tribal health clinics
• Secondary
• participate in community health outreach and
  education programs

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• How is the NWTEMC - MRC program
• different from individual tribe, city
• or county MRC programs?

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NWTEMC - MRC

• MRC unit representing a consortium of tribes.
  MRC unit operates with the purpose of intertribal
  exchange of MRC resources including

• Shared equipment and personnel
• Coordinated training and exercises
• Assistance with individual MRC units

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Some challenges

• Individuality of tribes and tribal governments
• Mitigation planning
• Cultural sites and ceremonies
• Tribal and non-tribal residents
• Casinos, hotels, business parks
• Emergency Management depts new, very
  short-staffed, lack funding
• Tribes are located within counties with already
  existing MRC units

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Recruitment

• Tribal Offices of Emergency Management
• Presentations to Tribal Councils and Boards of
  Directors for approval
• Presentations at Tribal Health Clinics
• Health fairs and community events
• Tribal newspapers
• Mailings to tribal members and employees

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Application process

• Coordinated with counties within which each tribe
  is located
• Registration entered into state database with
  possible future use of WAHVE (Washington Health
  Volunteers in Emergencies)
• WA State emergency worker application
• Handbook
• Orientation
• Screening

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Volunteer Training

• Orientation
• ICS/NIMS
• CPR/AED
• BBP (Bloodborne Pathogens)
• POD (Point-of-Distribution)
• Field Triage
• Communications
• CULTURAL EDUCATION

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NWTEMC MRC PARTNERS

• Tribal Councils/Boards of Directors
• Tribal Emergency Management Agencies
• Tribal Health Clinics
• Tribal Police Departments
• Fire Departments
• Public Health Departments
• Community Volunteer Organizations
• Local Schools and Colleges
• Local, state and federal agencies

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NWTEMC MRCWhere were at

• Unit approved July 2007
• Collaborative activities
• MRC representatives from each tribe
• Volunteer application, screening and orientation
• Volunteer recruitment within communities
• MOUs with partners

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NWTEMC MRCWhere were at

• Monthly NWTEMC meetings
• MRC regular agenda item
• Bi-annual NWTEMC conference for WA tribes
• June/November 2007
• Funding sources for MRC program
• Also developing other programs
• CERT
• RACES
• BlockWatch

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NWTEMC MRCWhere were going

• Have trained, prepared MRC volunteers to assist
  within the tribal communities of WA State during
  emergencies
• Demonstrate sensitivity and respect towards
  cultural aspects within those Native American
  communities
• Work with ALL partners to identify and address
  the needs of each individual tribal community
• Educate tribal communities on emergency
  preparedness
• Participate in community outreach health
  programs

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Suggestions for contacting tribes

• Establish relationships early in process and
  PRIOR to emergency
• Contact local tribe(s) through
• Tribal Health Clinic
• Emergency Management Dept
• Identify representative(s) to get involved in MRC
  or to consult for local MRC activities
• Ask about specific cultural issues to consider
  when responding to an emergency
• Encourage tribe to consider forming a unit

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NWTEMC Medical Reserve Corps

• Each tribe is encouraged to participate and
  utilize MRC resources in their communities.

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NWTEMC Medical Reserve Corps

• QUESTIONS???

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• Roberta Losik-Welch
• NWTEMC MRC Unit Director
• [phone]
• roberta_at_nwtemc.org
• NWTEMC - MRC updates and
• NWTEMC contact information are posted
• to the NWTEMC website
• www.nwtemc.org