Volunteers are 'answering the call' to help Martin County health department respond to COVID-19 pandemic

At the center of the COVID-19 pandemic response, many volunteers are making sure area health departments can meet the needs of our communities.

KEY TOOL HELPING THEM SERVEYOU BEST- IS A TEAM OFVOLUNTEERS& ONLY ON FIVE-TREASURE REPORTER MEGHANMCROBERTS INTRODUCES YOU TOSOME OF THOSE VOLUNTEERSPUTTING IN HUNDREDS OF HOURSTO HELP KEEP YOU SAFE ANDINFORMED.<< WHETHER ITMASKS OR HELPING WITH TESTING&18 VOLUNTEERS FOR THE MARTINCOUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAVEPUT IN MORE THAN 11 HUNDREDHOURS SINCE APRIL.

IN THE MIX-SOME RETIRED DOCTORS GIVINGTHEIR TIME TO RUN THE COVID-19HOTLINE.

NATS THEREANY DOWNTIME INSIDE THIS LITTEROOM& ENDEARINGLY CALLED THEBOX.

WHERE PHONES ARE OFTENRINGING OFF THE HOOKS...“OHABOUT 4,000, 5,000 CALLS IWOULD THINK” ANSWERED BYVOLUNTEERS LIKE DR. KATHYPETTERUTI.

SHE SPENDS AT LEAST20 HOURS HERE EACH WEEK“5MONTHS NOW” HELPING PEOPLEGET THROUGH THE COVID-19PANDEMIC.

DR. PETTERUTI HASBEEN RETIRED FOR MORE THAN 10-YEARS& FROM A MORE THAN 30YEAR CAREER IN INTERNAMEDICINE.

HER KNOWLEDGE- ANDEXPERTISE- TOO VALUABLE TO GOUNUSED& SHEMEDICAL RESERVE CORP.“INITIALLY WHEN WE STARTED ALOT OF PEOPLE WERE CALLING UPSAYING ISUPPOSED TO DO” BUT SHE SAYSTHE CALLS HAVE EVOLVED& SHEAND FELLOW VOLUNTEERS- ALSODOCTORS- HELP RESEARCH, DISPELRUMORS, AND HELP WHEREVER THEYCAN.“EVEN TEACHERS LAST WEEKWHO ARE CRYING”“A LOT OFTIMES WEREASSURANCE” THE HEALTHDEPARTMENT SAYS THE VALUE OFTHE VOLUNTEERS WHO HAVE GIVENMORE THAN 1100 FREE HOURSBETWEEN APRIL AND JUNE WOULDBE WORTH MORE THAN 130THOUSAND DOLLARS..“ITTEDIOU” BUT THEY'RE CERTAINLYNOT DOING IT FOR THE HOPE OF APAYCHECK.“HOW MUCH AMGETTING PAID?&.

LAUGHS” BUTTHEIR PASSION FOR KEEPINGPEOPLE HEALTHY.“WE JUSTREALLY CAR” OF THEVOLUNTEERS- 15 HAVE MEDICALBACKGROUNDS- WHETHER THEY AREDOCTORS, OR NURSES, BUT THEREARE SEVERAL NON MEDICALVOLUNTEERS& EVEN A HARVARDSTUDENT.