OFRD Readiness and Response Information

Readiness and Response

• Office of Force Readiness and Deployment (OFRD)
• Joining OFRD
• Membership Requirements
• Training
• Physical Fitness Requirements
• Enrollment Procedures for the President's Challenge
• Immunizations
• Currency
• BLS
• Communicating with the Medical Affairs Branch (MAB)
• Additional Readiness Links
• Predeployment Checklists
• Summary Matrix of OFRD BASIC Membership Requirements

Office of Force Readiness and Deployment (OFRD)

**** Deployment Tips [Word] ****

The Office of Force Readiness and Deployment is designed to activate small or large groups of Officers to deploy where needed. OFRD will utilize all PHS Categories and discpilines depending upon the mission. OFRD's primary role is to activate, mobilize, and deploy qualified Officers expeditiously to the disaster site.

Requests for OFRD assistance may be in response to any of the following:

1. Public health challenges that exceed the capabilities of local, state, or OPDIV resources.
2. Public health requirements under the Federal Response Plan, of the Department of State and/or Agency for International Development, or during other declared emergencies.
3. Critical technical public health requirements outside normal agency activity.
4. The DHHS Mass Immigration Plan.

Once the mission requirements are determined, OFRD will match the requirements against the qualifications of officers on the current month's rotational ready roster.

Joining OFRD

If you are on active duty in the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, you have a user ID and login password to access the OFRD Database Login. Your user ID is your PHS Serial Number, and your password can be retrieved by clicking the "Email Password" button on the login page. You will need to login, and update your Officer Summary Information to begin your first step towards deployability with OFRD.

Additionally, you must join the OFRD Listserv. This email listserv is the primary mechanism that OFRD uses to communicate with its members.

Once you have completed both of these steps, you will be considered a member of OFRD. In order to remain in an active status you must complete BLS for Healthcare Providers (or CPR for the Professional Rescuer) and continue to Login at least once every three (3) months. If you are unable to meet these requirements, you will be placed into an INACTIVE status.

Membership Requirements

• MC 377 -- Basic Level of Force Readiness Standards for the Commissioned Corps of the U. S. Public Health Service.
• MC 377 Extension -- Includes a checklist for Basic Readiness.
• PPM 04-003 -- Clarifications and Supplemental Policies and Procedures for Manual Circular Public Health Service (PHS) No. 377, "Basic Level of Force Readiness Standards for the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service".
• PPM 04-006 -- The Basic Level of Force Readiness for Officers.

Training

Training is based upon the capabilities found to fulfill the mission and anticipated response requirements of the OFRD, (e.g., the knowledge, skills, and preparedness of the members deployed). Sets of knowledge, skills, and preparatory experiences are required for OFRD members in all categories.

More information on OFRD Training.

Physical Fitness Requirements

OFRD members will be required to pass the OFRD Annual Physical Fitness Test or complete the Active Lifestyle or Champions programs of the President's Council on Physical Fitness (President's Challenge website). Additionally, fully qualified members of OFRD will need to have a physical on file with the Medical Affairs Branch every five years.

The OFRD Annual Physical Fitness Test will determine an officer's cardiovascular and muscular fitness and endurance. These will be measured through a combination of exercises and events including: a 1 ½ mile run/walk or 500-yard/450-meter swim for cardiovascular endurance, side-bridge/crunch for core muscle endurance and push-ups for upper body muscular endurance.

Temporary and permanent medical waivers are available for officers who are unable to meet the Physical Fitness requirements for medical reasons. Officers are advised to consult Manual Circular 377 pages 6-10 to review the policy on how to apply for a medical waiver.

Enrollment Procedures for the President's Challenge

• Visit the President's Challenge website.
• Click the box labeled "Adults".
• Click "Sign me up!" at the bottom of the page.
• Enter the required information on the "Register Here" page:
  1. Enter your PHS Serial Number for your "User Name".
  2. Enter a password.
  3. Confirm your password.
  4. Complete the "Password Hint" section.
  5. Enter "Group ID Number" as 13537.
  6. Enter "Group Member ID/Name" as USPHS.
  7. Complete the "Your Personal Information" section.
• You are now enrolled in the USPHS group.

Immunizations

Officers are required to have immunizations or a signed declination of services for Hepatitis A & B, influenza, MMR, polio, tetanus and diphtheria and Varicella as well as annual PPD testing. Pnuemococcal vaccine is recommended for OFRD members who meet the definition of "high risk".

More information on USPHS Commissioned Corps Immunization Policy.

Temporary and permanent medical waivers are available for officers who are unable to meet the Immunization requirements for medical reasons. Officers are advised to consult Manual Circular 377 pages 6-10 to review the policy on how to apply for a medical waiver.

Currency

In order to meet BASIC readiness standards and be placed on a Ready Roster, OFRD officers must be current in their professional role. Officers who wish to deploy in a clinical role (physician assistant, social worker, therapist, psychologist, etc.) must practice a minimum of 80 hours per year in that role.

BLS

OFRD members are required to have received current training in Basic Life Support (BLS).

Communicating with the Medical Affairs Branch (MAB)

• Mail all documents with tracking numbers (i.e. FedEX / certified / Priority Mail), in case a trace back is necessary. Keep mailing receipts.
• Make sure MAB's room number is included when mailing.
• Realize that once mail reaches the Parklawn building, it may take a couple of weeks before the mail reaches MAB. In some cases mail has been sitting at the building's mail collection center for a month.
• Depending on MAB's workload once documents are received at MAB, it may take a few days before an officer's documents are filed.
• Any documents that are being mailed by a third party i.e. hospital, clinic, etc., it is the officer's ultimate responsibility to ensure those documents arrive to MAB. Be friendly. If possible, offer to pay for the documents to be mailed by some mechanism that has a tracking number.
• It is much better NOT to use regular mail. Ask specifically the facilities procedures for who, what, where, when and how documents are sent.
• MAB has a new database management program being implemented, with hopes of providing an efficient digital product, that will display a profile for each officer and the data submitted. Consequently, the staff at MAB have to painstakingly review all of our data and annotate it on the database.
• Bottom line - get your documents into MAB early. Moreover, the data collected will be used to determine health trends and improve the Corps documentation performance, as well as force management.
• Officers should telephone MAB after three weeks of mailing the parcel and verify that the documents mailed are filed accordingly. Note the name of the person answering the phone.

Additional Readiness Links

• Department of Defense (DOD) and Veterans Administration (VA) Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) in Action for Clinical Opportunities
• Manual Circular 375 - Readiness Standards for the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) and implementation plan for Physical Fitness (PF)/Body Mass Index (BMI)/Body Fat (BF) Programs
• Manual Circular 377 - Basic Level of Force Readiness Standards for the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service
• APFT Form for Medical Affairs Branch
• How should I prepare for deployment?

Predeployment Checklists

This checklist is divided into two sections: things to do immediately, and things to do just before a deployment.

1. Things to do immediately upon joining the OFRD

Prepare a will. Deployments are generally very safe, but having a will assures that your survivors will receive benefits as you have requested.

Bank Accounts should be arranged such that spouses have equal access, if that is so desired.

Life insurance beneficiaries should reflect your current wishes.

Make sure you have copies/records (policy numbers, etc) of all important documents accessible to spouse/legal guardian.

• Will
• Real estate titles, deeds, mortgages, leases
• Automobile titles/licenses
• Birth, marriage, divorce, separation certificates/licenses
• Insurance policies
• Social Security Number
• Bank account numbers--Savings/Checking/Other
• Credit card numbers
• Stock/bonds numbers
• Telephone numbers
• PHS Supervisor
• OEP Emergency operations Center
• Emergency Point of Contact



2. Things to do just before a deployment

   • If leaving domicile unattended. (security note)
   • Stop newspaper-have neighbor pick up other flyers/papers/etc
   • Hold mail service
   • Arrange for lawn, snow removal, etc (note)
   • Arrange for pets/fish/plants
   • Unplug appliances/turn off water
   • Notify neighbors/friends to check on house
   • Notify Home Security Service
   • Keys - have safe place for keys to the following:
   • Automobiles
   • Home/apartment
   • Safety deposit box
   
   
   • Arrange for payment of bills. (suggestion)
   • Rent/mortgage
   • Lawn service
   • Housekeeping service
   • Utilities
   • Credit card bills
   • Others
   
   
   • Automatic Bill Payment

   Many recurring bills can be paid automatically through direct deposit, direct debit, automatic credit card payment, or via bill paying services. Consult your financial institution or utility for more information about this.

   This checklist is not all-inclusive but should serve as a template for your personal requirements. You can add/subtract to it as your individual situation dictates. The idea of having such a checklist is to assure that if you become incapacitated, your family will be able to maintain their financial security.

Summary Matrix of OFRD BASIC Membership Requirements

Standards for Basic Force Readiness Level*

* = Complete details on the new requirements can be obtained by going to the OFRD web site and reviewing Manual Circular 377 "BASIC Level of Force Readiness

Please see OFRD vaccine web site for details.