A Casper garage caught fire Thursday afternoon and the Natrona County Medical Reserve Corps began calling volunteers on its "phone tree."

Even though firefighters subdued the fire quickly, the reserve corps was ready to help if the fire became more serious.

The Medical Reserve Corps, a national program created in the aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001, deploys trained and certified medical and non-medical volunteers to help in disasters and offer first aid for community events.

The county reserve corps also provides firefighter rehabilitation - checking vital signs, rehydrating firefighters and tending to minor wounds - for fire crews.

The Natrona County chapter of the Medical Reserve Corps began in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina. The corps organizes and utilizes local volunteers.

Currently, the group seeks more volunteers, because more funding for the program might be available soon. The organization is in the process of completing paperwork to become a nonprofit, said Tami Haines, with Casper-Natrona County Health Department. As a nonprofit, the organization will be eligible for more federal grants.

Haines said the group would like more psychiatrists and clergy.

"Their families members can't be found and they need someone to talk to," Haines said about victims of a disaster.

But the reserve corps also wants people to help with non-medical tasks, about 20 to 30 people in all.

"Pretty much anyone," Haines said. "We actually train our own people."

All volunteers are required to become certified in CPR and basic first aid. Through monthly education and training opportunities, volunteers can qualify for higher experience levels.

Nancy Badger, a registered nurse at Wyoming Medical Center, is a level four volunteer. She has medical experience as a nurse and advanced training.

Badger began working only part-time because she was nearing retirement. She became bored and wanted to volunteer. Joining the medical reserve corps allowed her to help others while still keeping her "hand in nursing."

She said they are prepared to help with any disaster, including a pandemic flu, a flood or a sunburn at Nic Fest or Beartrap Music Festival.

The festivals were just two of the eight events where the reserve corps provided first aid in 2008. The group also responded to 60 structure fires in 2008, but no major disasters like it has in years past.

"It's a nice project and our country needs to know about it," Badger said. "It's a very needed thing. We hope we don't need it, lets put it that way."

The summer marks the reserve corps' busy season with more outdoor events to treat people for heat stroke and dehydration and the greater possibility of wildfires and drownings.

In 2006, the organization went up Casper Mountain for firefighter rehabilitation during the Jackson Canyon Fire.

Several years ago, the group worked with local law enforcement on a search for a 21-year-old who drowned.

It has even run first aid for the Federal Bureau of Investigation when agents traveled to Midwest to investigate a crime.

In the next two weeks, the county's reserve corps might send a team of volunteers to help with the North Dakota floods, Haines said.

To become a volunteer, contact Haines at (307) 577-9751.

Contact health reporter Allison Rupp at (307) 266-0534 or allison.rupp@trib.com.