The Edwardsville Regional Medical Emergency Response Team (RMERT) is a multi-jurisdictional, multi-faceted medical team available to support medical and disaster operations within the coalition and throughout the state as requested. RMERT also operates as the medical division of the St Clair Special Emergency Services Association and provides medical support for community events and emergency responses throughout the region.
The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) is a national network of volunteers, organized locally to improve the health and safety of their communities. The MRC network comprises 1006 community-based units and 205,712 volunteers located throughout the United States and its territories.
MRC volunteers include medical and public health professionals, as well as other community members without healthcare backgrounds. MRC units engage these volunteers to strengthen public health, improve emergency response capabilities and build community resiliency. They prepare for and respond to natural disasters, such as wildfires, hurricanes, tornado’s, blizzards, and floods, as well as other emergencies affecting public health, such as disease outbreaks. They frequently contribute to community health activities that promote healthy habits.
The Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES) consists of licensed amateurs who have voluntarily registered their qualifications and equipment, with their local ARES leadership, for communications duty in the public service when disaster strikes.
Illinois HELPS is Illinois’ part of a national network of state based volunteer registration systems for managing volunteers at all tiers of response. Each system verifies the identity, credentials, certifications, licenses, and hospital privileges of health professionals who volunteer to provide health services during a public health emergency.
By registering with Illinois Helps, an Emergency System for Advance Registration of Volunteer Health Professionals (ESAR-VHP), you can be part of an alert system and respond if available, when activated, to a significant disaster or public health emergency.