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Medical Response Systems

National Disaster Medical System (NDMS)

The National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) is a federally coordinated system that augments the Nation's medical response capability. The overall purpose of the NDMS is to establish a single integrated National medical response capability for assisting state and local authorities in dealing with the medical impacts of major peacetime disasters and to provide support to the military and the Department of Veterans Affairs medical systems in caring for casualties evacuated back to the U.S. from overseas armed conventional conflicts.

The National Response Plan utilizes the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS), as part of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Preparedness and Response, under Emergency Support Function #8 (ESF #8), Health and Medical Care, to support Federal agencies in the management and coordination of the federal medical response to major emergencies and federally declared disasters including:

• Natural Disasters
• Technological Disasters
• Major Transportation Accidents
• Acts of Terrorism including Weapons of Mass Destruction Events

NDMS is a nation-wide partnership embracing communities with world-class medical and emotional care in the wake of a natural or manmade disaster.

It is the mission of the National Disaster Medical System to design, develop, and maintain a national capability to deliver quality medical care to the victims of - and responders to - a domestic disaster. NDMS provides state of the art medical care under any conditions at a disaster site, in transit from the impacted area, and into participating definitive care facilities.

The NDMS consists of five teams:

• Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) - DMAT is a group of professional and para-professional medical personnel (supported by a cadre of logistical and administrative staff) designed to provide medical care during a disaster or other event. Each team has a sponsoring organization, such as a major medical center, public health or safety agency, non-profit, public or private organization that signs a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the DHS.



• Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Teams (DMORT) - DMORTs are composed of private citizens, each with a particular field of expertise, who are activated in the event of a disaster. DMORT members are required to maintain appropriate certifications and licensure within their discipline. When members are activated, licensure and certification is recognized by all States, and the team members are compensated for their duty time by the Federal government as a temporary Federal employee. During an emergency response, DMORTs work under the guidance of local authorities by providing technical assistance and personnel to recover, identify, and process deceased victims.



• Veterinary Medical Assistance Teams (VMATs) - VMATs are composed of private citizens who are activated in the event of a disaster. VMAT members are required to maintain appropriate certifications and licensure within their discipline. When members are activated, all States recognize licensure and certification and the team members are compensated for their duty time by the Federal government as temporary Federal employees. During an emergency response, VMATs work under the guidance of local authorities by providing technical assistance and veterinary services.



• National Nurse Response Team (NNRT) - The National Nurse Response Team is a specialty team used in any scenario requiring hundreds of nurses to assist in chemoprophylaxis, a mass vaccination program, or a scenario that overwhelms the nation's supply of nurses in responding to a weapon of mass destruction event.



• National Pharmacy Response Teams (NPRTs) - The National Pharmacy Response Teams (NPRTs) are located in each of the ten Federal Regions, and are used to assist in chemoprophylaxis or the vaccination of hundreds of thousands, or even millions of Americans, or perhaps in another scenario requiring hundreds of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and students of pharmacy.



• Disaster Portable Morgue Units (DPMU) Team - The DMORT DPMU promotes the most dignified handling and positive identification of fatalities in federally declared emergencies by supporting all DMORT teams through the efficient and effective management of federal mortuary assets throughout the planning, preparation and response phases.