KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. (WVLT) -- Major flooding, killer tornadoes, these are two disasters that surprised East Tennesseans and handled by our first responders like the police and fire departments.

But if they needed help members of the Medical Reserve Corps would be called.

It's a group/concept that was developed by the state after Hurricane Katrina.

Thousands of medical and non medical volunteers are trained to handle public emergencies including terrorism..

Mary Beth Birge says, "It's a great system, if we have an emergency it will immediately give us a call and tell us what to do next."

She works for the Red Cross, and is a volunteer for the Tennessee group.

According to Birge, "To be a part of a group and help give back during a really stressful time of need, whether it is a point of dispensing site or a mass vaccination site, makes it a lot more smooth for the community to get help."

Knox county's group has not been deployed, although volunteers helped assisted the health department last year, distribute the h1n1 vaccine.

But they need more Tennesseans to get on board

Jennifer Wilson says, "They are looking for 25,000 more volunteers across the state, medical and non medical so that way they have those volunteers in place for a public health emergency that could possibly help in our area."

It's just one way for you to show volunteer spirit.