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Thank you from the People’s Medical Relief

When Hurricane Sandy hit Coney Island, nurses and EMTs from the People’s Medical Relief jumped into action to coordinate medical care there.

Read their report about how they are transitioning their work for the long haul:

People’s Medical Relief Update
Friday, January 4, 2013

People’s Medical Relief cannot thank you enough for all the time, energy and effort you have spent providing support in the Rockaways, Coney Island and Staten Island. None of our work could have been done without you.

We have been working with communities impacted by Hurricane Sandy for about two and a half months. We are transitioning out of our daily on-ground presence and into long-term, sustainable work with communities and local organizations.

Below is a summary of our long-term organizing efforts; bolded are opportunities for medical providers!

Operating the only free clinic in Coney Island. Providing basic primary health care, education and advocacy with the community. NYSNA will be taking over coordinating efforts to keep the clinic consistently open 3 days a week; Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. This can be expanded to additional days depending on provider availability. There is an ongoing need for prescribers, nurses, alternative practitioners and other providers to serve the continuing needs of the community. Contact medics@peoplesrelief.org if interested.
Herbalism access for Coney Island residents. There will be an herbalist seeing patients on Thursdays in the free clinic and making house calls. They will also be working with local herbalists to conduct educational and knowledge sharing events.
Working with Family Support Network to start a weekly free provider day out of the trailers at 106th and Rockaway Beach Blvd. Volunteer providers are needed to staff this! Contact medics@peoplesrelief.org if interested.
Enrollment events to bring access to medical insurance to residents in the Rockaways. Working with Legal Aid, and local clinics.
Working with public health schools in NYC to facilitate interest in conducting a comprehensive and community-focused medical needs assessment of the Rockaways.
Health education and peer education. Working with groups including the American Diabetes Association, American Arthritis Association, Legal Aid, Urban Justice Center and others to conduct educational programs, do direct outreach, and train community peer health educators and advocates.

Recent highlights from People’s Medical Relief in the Rockaways:

Continuing work out of our free clinic at the Action Center.
Mass flu vaccination campaigns have vaccinated about 150 residents in the Rockaways thus far.
Working with Legal Aid and the Urban Justice Center to set up legal clinics and trainings for residents and organizers. These groups will continue to be a long-term resource for the Rockaways.

Recent highlights from People’s Medical Relief in Coney Island:

The free clinic has been consistently seeing patients seven days a week since November 5.
In addition to our regular providers, this past month a pulmonologist from Wisconsin volunteered as a provider and acted as an educational resource for the community about respiratory issues such as asthma, bronchitis and pneumonia.
A licensed herbalist has been coming out weekly to see patients. Over time, the community in Coney Island may develop an herbal practice and/or shop, accessible to local residents.
We recently canvassed a building still without working elevators to assess homebound individuals with medical needs. Working with street medics, nurses, EMT’s, herbalists and others we provided in-home assessments and treatment, referrals and follow ups.

Those of us who have been regular coordinators with People’s Medical Relief will be exiting our daily on-site activities and returning to our respective communities. We are hosting the People’s Medical Relief Handoff!, a thank you/recruitment event on Saturday, January 12, from 2:00 – 4:30 PM. Please e-mail medics@peoplesrelief.org for details. We will not be working daily in the field after this date. We will, however, continue to support the above projects as needed from home, and will be handing off long-term projects to committed New Yorkers dedicated to working in the field!

Once again, we cannot thank you enough for all your time, energy and support.

In solidarity,
People’s Medical Relief

The New York State Nurses Association is the voice for hundreds of thousands of frontline nurses. We are New York’s largest union and professional association for registered nurses.