ALBANY - The state Department of Health is asking health care professionals and other New Yorkers to sign up at the ServNY volunteer registry - an Internet-based program for recruiting and deploying volunteers to provide essential health services during public health emergencies.

New York state is preparing to activate its health emergency preparedness plan. Crucial to the plan is having an adequate corps of trained volunteers ready to respond quickly to a public health emergency.

"This registry of volunteers may be called upon in the response to a natural disaster, widespread disease outbreak, or other public health emergency," said Dr. Richard F. Daines, state health commissioner. "State and county volunteer programs must be prepared to quickly send additional staff and resources when and where they are needed most."

In the event that a major resurgence of novel H1N1 influenza occurs in the fall and winter, as many public health officials predict, volunteers may be needed to provide vaccines and assist in the delivery of other essential services to keep New Yorkers as safe as possible.

The ServNY volunteer management system is a Internet-based registry of health care professionals and other individuals who are willing to volunteer on behalf of New York state during an emergency. The registration process collects and verifies contact information, professional qualifications, current health care practice information, and other relevant data. When registering, volunteers have the option of signing up for ServNY or for their local volunteer program.

The Health Department developed the ServNY volunteer registry in partnership with county health departments, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the Medical Society of the State of New York, hospital associations, and other medical professional organizations. The registry is used by all local health departments and Medical Reserve Corps for management of volunteer programs.

"We can't wait until an emergency occurs to recruit volunteers," Daines said. "We need to build the volunteer registry now so that we have a large volunteer base with known credentials and training, enabling these individuals to be deployed quickly during an emergency."

Registration in ServNY is open to any health care or mental health professional, as well as laypersons who are willing to serve in administrative or support roles during public health emergencies. Interested individuals can register online at www.nyhealth.gov/ServNY, or contact their local county health department or local Medical Reserve Corps. To call the Chautauqua County Health Department, call 753-4243 in Mayville, 363-4314 in Dunkirk or 661-7314 in Jamestown.