I started medical school the year Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana. I was in one of Dr. Jon Hallberg’s small group classes when he spoke about his experience of being deployed during the U of M Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) deployment to Louisiana. He talked about how great it was to be a part of a group who knew how to respond quickly to a public health emergency. I signed up for membership in the U of M MRC that day.
When the 35W Bridge collapsed I read each U of M MRC announcement to see if I could help. But, as an intern, my schedule didn't allow it. After residency, I left the University and moved to Laos where I helped teach in two residency training programs. I returned home, gave birth to my son, and made sure to reconnect with U of M MRC, this time as a faculty member.
The week I received the email about the Multi-Agency Resource Center Deployment for the victims of the Drake Hotel fire, I knew I had a chance to do something meaningful. It was a great experience getting to meet everyone and to feel like I was doing my little part to assist those affected by the fire. During the deployment, I was able to interact with other volunteer organizations. Red Cross folks talked about disaster responses in general, and how to set up Multi-Agency Resource Centers after disasters. I went home feeling like I'd really done something good and that I had definitely learned a lot in the process.