Novel Med-Pack Program Helps U.S. Civilian Volunteers Respond Fast in Emergencies

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- (Business Wire)

In recognition of its work with Direct Relief to equip civilian volunteer Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) members with specially designed packs, FedEx Corp. today received the 2012 National Leadership and Partnership Award in Nashville, TN.

The Office of the Civilian Volunteer Medical Reserve Corps, overseen by the U.S. Surgeon General, presented the award to FedEx for sponsoring the development and expansion of Direct Relief’s MRC Med-Pack Program, which has equipped over 1,200 MRC.

The MRC units were established in 2002 in a post-9/11 mandate from the U.S. Surgeon General requiring that each state recruit, train and equip a group of medical volunteers that would be ready and able to help in the event of a public health emergency.

Volunteer MRC units are community-based, and function locally preparing for and responding to local emergencies. MRC volunteers supplement existing emergency and public health resources and include medical and public health professionals such as physicians, nurses, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), pharmacists and dentists.

While the mandate requires that counties across America recruit and train groups of civilian volunteers, public financial resources are not available to help equip the MRC units. That is where Direct Relief stepped in to design, field-test, and donate the Med-Packs.

“Direct Relief’s long experience responding to the some of the world’s largest emergencies, including Hurricane Katrina and the Haiti earthquake, has reinforced how important it is to ensure that the local health professionals have immediate access to the right resources when disaster strikes their communities,” said Thomas Tighe, President and CEO of Direct Relief. “FedEx, which has such keen awareness of emergency preparedness and deep involvement in post-emergency response, understood this immediately and provided both the encouragement and lead sponsorship to make it happen.”

To date over 1,200 MRC volunteers in 15 counties in California have been equipped with the rugged packs, which were designed to meet the requirements of emergency personnel who provided extensive input and field testing. The packs contain medical essentials, basic diagnostic equipment, triage materials, medications and first-aid supplies and are intended to be highly mobile and functional during an emergency. The pack has been adopted as the standard for MRCs in California by the California Emergency Medical Services Authority (Cal EMSA).

“These Med-Packs are designed for use by specially-trained volunteers who devote their time and expertise to preparing for and responding to emergencies. FedEx is committed to supporting local communities through this forward-thinking prepardeness program. As we look to our continued work in the disaster response area, it is great to know that hundreds of volunteers stand trained, equipped and ready to help in the case of emergency. While it truly is a highlight and a validation to receive this award, FedEx finds ongoing gratification in helping organizations like Direct Relief deliver needed resources around the world,” said Shane O’Connor, Program Advisor for FedEx Global Citizenship. He added, “Working closely with Direct Relief on this initiative will not only aid in more rapid response, but also in the long-term goal of community resiliency and recovery when disaster strikes.”

About Direct Relief

Direct Relief International is a leading medical relief organization, active in all 50 U.S. states and 70 countries. It works with more than 1,000 health clinics across the U.S. to assist in emergencies and an ongoing basis, providing them with free medications for people in need. Direct Relief is among the largest medical suppliers to Haiti in response to the 2010 earthquake, has top charity ratings, including four-star and "top notch" rating from Charity Navigator, and a 100% fundraising efficiency rating from Forbes magazine.

About FedEx

FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenues of $42 billion, the company offers integrated business applications through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world's most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 300,000 team members to remain "absolutely, positively" focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. For more information, visit news.fedex.com.

Representatives from Direct Relief are available for print, radio, and broadcast interviews, and have full fiber optic and satellite transmission capability.

Contacts:

Direct Relief
Kerri Murray, 805-452-7599 (Cell)
Communications
kmurray@directrelief.org
or
FedEx
Parul Bajaj, 901-651-3183 (Cell)
parul.bajaj@fedex.com

Source: FedEx Corp.