A neonatal intensive care registered nurse from Redlands, California, Mrs. Karen Greeley, has returned home after assisting the federal medical response to Hurricanes Harvey and Maria as part of the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS). Mrs. Greeley serves as a member of an NDMS Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT).
As of Thursday, NDMS personnel along with U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (USPHS) officers have provided care to more than 29,800 people affected by Hurricane Maria. During the response to Hurricane Harvey, NDMS members and USPHS officers provided care to more than 5,300 patients.
“Dedicated members of the NDMS from around the country have been vital to the medical responses to Hurricanes Harvey and Maria and providing needed care to those affected by these devastating storms,” NDMS’s Acting Director Ron Miller said. “NDMS’ goal is to provide the best care in the worst of times, and we will be there to serve until states and territories no longer need us.”
The NDMS is a federal program that can support communities with medical care and mortuary assistance during disasters or public health emergencies at the request of states; NDMS is among the resources made available by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR).
HHS personnel deployed to the U.S. Virgins Islands and Puerto Rico are providing life-saving care, helping stabilize health care systems including suppliers and regulated industries in the territories, and restoring services to meet residents' needs with a focus on services for people with chronic health conditions.
During the response to Hurricane Harvey, NDMS and US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps officers operated a 250-bed Federal Medical Station at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston and provided care at other locations in the area.
NDMS teams consist of physicians, nurses, veterinary staff, paramedics, fatality management professionals, and experienced command and control staff. When an emergency overwhelms local and state resources, ASPR looks to the expertise within NDMS and USPHS from across the country to assist in the response.
The NDMS comprises approximately 5,000 medical public health, and emergency management professionals, organized into more than 70 response teams. Although they hail from communities nationwide, when deployed they are federal government employees working as part of a coordinated federal response.
ASPR leads the nation in preventing, preparing for, and responding to the adverse health effects of public health emergencies and disasters. It focuses on preparedness planning and response; building federal emergency medical operational capabilities; countermeasures research, advance development, and procurement; and grants to strengthen the capabilities of hospitals and health care systems in public health emergencies and medical disasters.