[Press Release] : press release

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 26, 2005

CONTACT: Heather Baer
Public Information Officer
Columbia/Boone County Health Department 
(573) 874-7632                                            

Volunteers needed for emergency preparedness exercise
									
	(COLUMBIA, MO) - The Columbia/Boone County Health Department
will conduct a Volunteer Reception Center exercise on Wednesday, Nov. 2.
This exercise will test the use of volunteers who wish to help the
community during large-scale emergencies. The public is invited to
participate.
	The drill on Nov. 2 will be held from 9-11:30 a.m. at the
Fairview United Methodist Church, 3200 Chapel Hill Road. During the
exercise, Medical Reserve Corps volunteers will process both medically
trained and lay volunteers who are offering to assist during a public
health emergency. This exercise will screen and place volunteers to
staff a medication dispensing site. 
	The Voluntary Action Center, Retired & Senior Volunteer Program
(RSVP) and the city of Columbia are partnering with the health
department on this exercise.	
	A medication dispensing site would be used in the event of a
bio-terrorism attack or widespread disease outbreak to distribute
medication to large numbers of people as efficiently and quickly as
possible.  	
	The Columbia/Boone County Health Department is requesting
volunteers to participate in this exercise, similar to an actual public
health emergency. If you would like to participate in the exercise, or
if you are a health care professional and would like to volunteer with
the Medical Reserve Corps, please contact Frank Barfield, project
coordinator, at (573) 874-6318.

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