When the flood waters rose last December, Kelley Jones received a phone call. As a Medical Reserve Corps volunteer in Thurston County, she was asked to assist the relief effort in rural communities west of Centralia. Kelley and another volunteer went door to door asking residents if they needed help. The flood survivors she met were trying to meet their most basic needs while they grappled with the loss of livestock, homes, and treasured possessions.

Kelley gave out warm meals, or let families know that the fire station had bottled water. She cleared the mud from homes. Sometimes she just listened to their stories. A medical social worker, she also watched for anyone that needed to be referred for more care. Houses were spread far apart, so there were days when she only visited six homes. But Kelley says that, “If we helped one person, that person was then able to help five or 10 more people.”

King County is now recruiting volunteers like Kelley to lend a hand during emergencies. We’re looking for nurses, doctors, pharmacists, EMTs, and other health care professionals to support our emergency health care centers. We’re also seeking mental health counselors and volunteers without medical training. Volunteers hand out blankets or answer calls to our hotline. Counselors sit with survivors to help them with the overwhelming emotions and stresses of the event.

In an emergency, our volunteers save lives. They also help communities recover more quickly. By registering with the Public Health Reserve Corps, volunteers receive emergency response training and are called to action as part of a coordinated community effort. Last December, the Reserve Corps in Kelley’s area were alerted minutes after the floods were predicted.

In an emergency, many of us find it difficult to sit in front of the television, and feel helpless because we’re not sure how to help. Your community needs your skills during a crisis. Hurricanes Ike and the tempests that have hit the Gulf Coast recently are almost unheard of in King County. But we are at risk for floods, wind storms, earthquakes, and disease outbreaks. Volunteering with the Public Health Reserve Corps means that you’ll be helping the people who need it the most. We are doing everything we can to prepare for the worst. I hope you’ll join us.