RI Responds
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Emergency and Disaster Assistance In Rhode Island Emergency and Disaster Assistance In Rhode Island
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Rhode Island's Healthcare Volunteer Program
RI Responds!

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By registering, you will be notified through the RI Responds alert system and receive instructions for response, when activated, to a significant disaster or public health emergency. During the RI Responds on-line registration process, you will be asked to enter information regarding your license, certifications, the best way to contact you, and other relevant background information. 

Recent experience with large-scale disasters has consistently shown that an effective response requires that volunteers be pre-credentialed and deployed through a coordinated effort.

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Collaboration in Volunteer Management

RI Responds is a complementary volunteer network working through the Statewide Emergency Registry of Volunteers (SERV - RI), the RI Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) and RI Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) to offer a range of health professional volunteer opportunities for Rhode Islanders. This collaboration greatly enhances the effectiveness of deployment and response coordinated through the state's incident command system. There are three different programs within RI Responds. See right hand for each team.

 

SERV - RI The Statewide Registry of Volunteers is an ESAR-VHP Program

During public health emergencies, we need volunteers to help with the response. Recent experience with large-scale disasters has consistently shown that an effective response requires that volunteers’ credentials be verified and that volunteer deployment occurs in a coordinated effort. By registering with SERV-RI, you can be part of an alert system and receive instructions for an activated response to a significant disaster or public health emergency.

 

RI Responds is linked to renewal of your professional license

When you renew your professional license through the Rhode Island Department of Health on line professional license renewal program you will be asked if you want to volunteer in an emergency and reminded to update your contact information if you are already a volunteer. 


3 ways to Volunteer

SERV-RI

  • State medical volunteer registry managed by the RI Department of Health
  • Deployment is always subject to volunteer availability
  • RI Responds will soon be the overarching coordination mechanism for the deployment of volunteer healthcare professionals within the state during a declared disaster or a public health emergency
  • Medical providers must have current licenses in their discipline
  • For more information, email RI Responds Administrative Officer, Erin McDonough or call her at 888-549-3335.

RI Medical Reserve Corps

  • Sponsored by The Office of the Surgeon General
  • Application process is uncomplicated
  • Deployment is ordinarily within Rhode Island
  • Past missions for the RI MRC include the local response to receive the evacuees from the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina, and they have participated in emergency preparedness drills, and immunization clinics in Rhode Island
  • Medical providers must have current licenses in their discipline
  • For more information, email RI Responds Administrative Officer, Erin McDonough or call at 888-549-3335

RI -1 Disaster Medical Assistance Team

  • DMAT is a federal team under the Department of Health and Human Services, National Disaster Management System (NDMS)
  • Members are intermittent federal employees and can be deployed to any state or US territory.
  • Members are paid according to federal pay grade
  • Applications are processed by the federal government. All volunteers are subject to a rigorous background check.
  • The same law (USERRA) that protects the jobs of military reservists and the National Guard protects the job(s) of members
  • Medical providers must have current and valid licenses in their discipline
  • For more information, email RI Responds Administrative Officer, Erin McDonough or call at 888-549-3335