Last week, the Arizona National Guard began conducting refresher training to the first wave of Arizona residents who have volunteered to support vaccination sites Statewide. Once trained, these volunteers will work side-by-side the medical community, and the more than 700 Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen supporting Arizona’s fight against COVID-19.
These citizens are retired medical professionals and current medical students who have answered the call to assist vaccinating approximately 3.5 million Arizonians as fast as possible.
“This is a monumental call to service that requires a whole-of-community approach to accomplish,” said Maj. Gen. Michael T. McGuire, Director of the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs. “I couldn’t be prouder and I thank them for their service to Arizona.”
This coordinated effort between the Governor’s office, Arizona Department of Health Services, and Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs relied on the Arizona Emergency System for the Advance Registration of Volunteer Health Professionals (AZ-ESAR-VHP).
“We received these volunteers through cooperation with Arizona’s Department of Health Services,” said Col. Tom Leeper, Commander of the Guard’s Medical Task Force. “The ESAR-HP provides an expedited method to rapidly review their skills and get them out to vaccination sites with the greatest need.