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Rapid Medical Response at the Heart of Disasters Relief

Spotlight on National Disaster Medical System's Disaster Medical Assistance Teams

When disaster strikes, local hospitals, healthcare systems and EMS providers can quickly become overwhelmed and the need for expert medical care can become urgent in an instant. That’s why ASPR’s National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) and its Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMATs) are always ready. These specialized teams are trained to respond to disaster and built to move quickly, bringing vital medical support to your community.

NDMS/DMATs are rapidly deployed, federally coordinated medical teams designed to support communities in times of crises. They are composed of physicians, nurses, paramedics, and other healthcare professionals who are specially trained to provide emergency medical care in austere environments. NDMS/DMAT members are federal employees when activated, but in their everyday lives, they are doctors, nurses, EMTs, and logisticians serving in communities across the country.

Whether responding to a natural disaster, supporting a mass-gathering event, or augmenting hospitals during surge events, NDMS/DMATs often play a critical role in protecting health and saving lives during and after emergencies.

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Behind the Scenes with NDMS Disaster Medical Assistance Teams

NDMS/DMATs have their roots in the days after 9/11. Below, we look back on some key moments in the program’s recent history.

When Hurricane Helene tore across the Southeast, DMATs were among the first federal medical assets on the ground. By the end of the response, DMAT responders had cared for approximately 1,000 patients in North Carolina over the course of 30 days. They triaged injured residents, provided life-saving medications, and provided support at three area hospitals and two state-supported medical shelters. NDMS has a long history of responding to hurricanes. We were there for the nation during Hurricane Katrina, Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, Hurricane Idalia, Typhoon Mawar, and many more.

Every year, as our nation celebrates its birthday on the National Mall in Washington, DC, DMAT units are working behind-the-scenes, providing medical support in case people become sick or injured during the event. Independence Day is just one of the many National Security Special Events where DMATs provide support. They have also provided medical support at state funerals, the annual State of the Union Address, the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, and even the Super Bowl

At the height of the pandemic, DMATs were on the front lines, helping staff emergency departments in overwhelmed cities, administering vaccines in underserved areas, and ensuring continuity of care for non-COVID patients. During the pandemic, approximately 15,000 responders deployed to provide medical support in communities nationwide. They helped bring over 600 Americans home from Wuhan, China, and supported them through quarantine. They administered over 100,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines, many of them to underserved populations, and provided more than 500 infusions of COVID therapeutics. After Hurricane Laura (2020), they helped decompress hospital emergency rooms in Texas, as area providers responded to both the COVID pandemic and a major hurricane. The COVID pandemic was the longest response in NDMS’s history.

To learn more, visit NDMS Disaster Medical Assistance Teams.