Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMATs) are professional and para-professional medical personnel that provide on-call medical care during disaster events. DMATs are under the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS), and work under the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). State and local level Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) Regional Emergency Coordinators may request for and assess the type and number of DMAT teams needed for an event.
Every DMAT deployment is unique depending on the disaster’s health needs. To name a few, each team consists of physicians, nurses, midlevel providers, pharmacists, and paramedics. DMATs deliver low to moderate acuity medical care, with responsibilities that include triaging patients, aiding in hospital surges, transferring patients, and assisting in evacuations. These teams are deployed to disaster sites with enough supplies and equipment to provide medical care and sustain themselves for 72 hours.
Some major incidents that DMATs have responded to include the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Hurricane Katrina, and the 2010 Haiti earthquake.
If you are interested in learning more about the National Disaster Medical System or would like to become a part of a Disaster Medical Assistance team, visit the following website here.