The National Disaster Medical System (NDMS), under the
direction of the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, fosters the development of volunteer teams, called
Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMATs). A DMAT is a group
of professional and paraprofessional medical personnel
(supported by a cadre of logistical and administrative
staff) designed to provide emergency medical care during a
disaster or other event.
Each DMAT in
its state or local support role has
a sponsoring organization, such as a major medical center,
public health or safety agency, non-profit, public or
private organization, supporting the team’s non-Federal
activities. Our team is sponsored by the Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, NY.
DMATs, in their federal role, are not supported or sponsored
by any private organization or state or local government.
In addition to the standard DMATs, there are highly
specialized DMATs that deal with specific medical conditions
such as crush injury, burn, and mental health emergencies.
Other specialty teams include Disaster Mortuary Operational
Response Teams (DMORTs) that provide mortuary services,
Veterinary Medical Assistance Teams (VMATs) that provide
veterinary services, and National Medical Response Teams (NMRTs)
that are equipped and trained to provide medical care for
victims of weapons of mass destruction.
DMATs deploy to disaster sites with sufficient supplies and
equipment to sustain themselves for a period of 72 hours
while providing medical care at a fixed or temporary medical
care site. In mass casualty incidents, their
responsibilities include triaging patients, providing
austere medical care, and preparing patients for evacuation.
In other types of situations, DMATs may provide primary
health care and/or may serve to augment overloaded local
health care staffs. Under the rare circumstance that
disaster victims are evacuated to a different locale to
receive definitive medical care, DMATs may be activated to
support patient reception and disposition of patients to
hospitals. DMATs are designed to be a rapid-response element
to supplement local medical care until other Federal or
contract resources can be mobilized, or the situation is
resolved.
DMAT members are required to maintain appropriate
certifications and licensure within their discipline. When
members are activated as Federal employees, licensure and
certification is recognized by all States. Additionally,
DMAT members are paid while serving as part-time federal
employees and have the protection of the Federal Tort Claims
Act in which the Federal Government becomes the defendant in
the event of a malpractice claim.
DMATs are principally a community resource available to
support local, regional, and State requirements. However, as
a National resource they can be Federalized to provide
interstate aid.
