Lakes Region CERT and MRC Statewide Recognition
The Partnership for Public Health, Winnipesaukee Public Health Network (WPHN) is proud to announce the Lakes Region Community Emergency Response Team (LR-CERT) and Medical Reserve Corp (LR-MRC) is the recipient of Volunteer NH’s “2022 Spirit of NH Award” in the Group Category.
The Spirit of NH Awards are New Hampshire’s largest volunteer recognition ceremony. Volunteer Service Awards recognize individuals and groups who provide volunteer services that strengthen communities and improve the lives of New Hampshire residents. These awards honor outstanding volunteers – or groups of volunteers – who reflect the strong ethic of service and volunteerism in our state.
The LR-CERT provides volunteer services to area responders to make communities safer, stronger, and better prepared to respond to natural and man-made disasters. LR-CERT may also provide assistance for non-emergency projects that help improve the safety of the community.
MRC units are community-based and function to locally organize and utilize volunteers who want to donate their time and expertise to prepare for and respond to emergencies and promote healthy living throughout the year. MRC volunteers supplement existing emergency and public health resources.
The teams are activated at the request of local public safety agencies to help support with traffic control, provide refreshments, provide volunteers to support vaccination clinics, and to help educate the public. In 2022 they played a vital and central role in COVID-19 vaccination and booster clinics. The teams, at their core, are volunteers who put the needs of the greater community before their own – truly highlighting how special a community volunteer is.
Throughout the COVID-19 response the LR-CERT and LR-MRC teams have steadfastly been providing logistical and clinical support services at more than 134 mobile and home clinics throughout the Winnipesaukee Public Health Network. Team members also supported clinic operations at Lakes Region General Hospital (now Concord Hospital), Laconia and Franklin locations, and the two Booster Blitzes held at Lakes Region Community College.
Our team members averaged nearly 500 hours of service per month, with the highest month being 1,619 of service hours. To date our teams have delivered more than 5,700 hours in support of the COVID-19 response. More than 7000 vaccines (not including LRGH, FRH and the Booster Blitzes) were administered to the citizens of our WPHN region. To learn more about LR-CERT & LR-MRC visit www.pphnh.org Emergency Preparedness.