Jim Bollenbacher, Lead Instructor of the Nassau County MRC, accepted the 2024 MRC Recognition Award for Community Preparedness & Resilience on behalf of the Nassau County MRC. “The MRC is an organization of amazingly talented, experienced, and compassionate people who are prepared to help their communities during a crisis or disaster.”
The Nassau County MRC unit is leading an aggressive “LifeSavers” program to improve local opioid overdose response and sudden cardiac arrest outcomes. In 2023, Nassau County MRC donated nearly 500 hours at free training events, taught more than 1700 people Hands-Only CPR and more than 800 to recognize an overdose and use Narcan, then provided CPR Anytime Kits to those trained. As a result, an estimated 25-30 AEDs have been added to public-access sites and the county has taken steps to become a recognized HEARTSafe Community (a program from the Citizen CPR Foundation with a set of criteria and guidelines designed to improve outcomes to sudden cardiac arrest emergencies through a specific set of training, preparation, and response protocols).
Additionally, Bollenbacher was invited by Florida CERT and the Citizen CPR Foundation to speak about the LifeSavers program and provide the training to hundreds at Florida’s CERT Conference and the national Cardiac Arrest Survival Summit in San Diego. Most importantly, the unit’s work has increased community preparedness and will undoubtedly result in lives saved. “Being part of the MRC allows me to give back to the community and use my medical training while doing it. I have also met some incredible people, both in terms of talent and passion.”
The MRC Recognition Awards recognize and highlight amazing contributions of MRC units, volunteers, leaders, and partners. In 2024, there were hundreds of nominations in 12 categories – covering both response and non-response contributions. Learn more about the awards and the winners at Meet Our MRC Network. Learn how to become a part of the MRC and make a difference in your community at Become an MRC Volunteer.
