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| Dr. Gil Madison ,left , and Phyllis Hahn donated their time at the 2016 Mesa County Fair with the Mesa County Medical Reserve Corps (MRC). |
Locals enjoyed themselves at the Mesa County Fair July 12 – 16 and thanks to Mesa County Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) volunteers , kids and adults stayed safe and healthy , too.
Volunteers with the Mesa County MRC , a Mesa County Health Department (MCHD) program in a national network of MRC , staff the Fair’s first aid station every year. Mesa County MRC volunteers are first aid/CPR certified community members; the rest are medically licensed professionals. Our program has 10-12 active volunteers.
The County Fair is Mesa County MRC’s biggest event of the year. The monetary value of their volunteer labor is more than $6 ,000. Mesa County MRC Unit Coordinator Nanci Quintana clocks in more than 100 hours to organize 34 volunteer shifts to man the first aid station. Shifts run from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily with volunteers giving medical attention to fairgoers with minor injuries. This year , the labor was divided half and half by MCHD staff and MRC volunteers.
Mesa County MRC mostly treats scrapes , abrasions and cuts , but they also treat heat exhaustion , head injuries , sprains , stings and broken bones. Volunteers dial 911 when injuries exceed their treatment skill level.
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| Dr. Gerald Geske , right , practices basic first aid procedures on his grandson , Nolan. |
This year , MRC treated 34 county fair attendees. The mechanical bull ride was the biggest culprit for minor injuries. Summer heat , insects and animals are always sources of potential injury at the fair.
Volunteers are prepared to mobilize first aid. Every year , at least one individual requires treatment in the field. Volunteers operate two medical stations within the first aid building in order to receive multiple patients at once.
If you didn’t need to visit the first aid building at the Fair this year , you may still Mesa County’s MRC volunteers around the Grand Valley at blood pressure and eye checks , or giving presentations on preventing the spread of disease. MRC volunteers provide a valuable and needed service in our community. We are thankful for their hard work and dedication in Mesa County.
If you'd like to get involved with Mesa County MRC , call Nanci Quintana at (970) 248-6900.
