You may have the best items in your disaster prep arsenal, but what happens if you need professional medical attention? That’s where the National Disaster Medical System can help. This system is designed to improve medical response during various disasters by assisting state and local authorities.
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The National Disaster Medical System helps provide medical assistance to affected areas. It temporarily supplements state, local, federal and tribal capabilities by providing personnel, training, equipment and supplies. The system also supports the military and the Department of Veterans Affairs in handling casualties sent to the United States from conflicts overseas.
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The Public Health Emergency website listed the components of the National Disaster Medical System:
- Medical response to a disaster area in the form of personnel, teams and individuals, supplies, and equipment.
- Patient movement from a disaster site to unaffected areas of the nation.
- Definitive medical care at participating hospitals in unaffected areas.
The system aims to target natural and technological disasters, major transportation accidents and acts of terrorism, including events involving weapons of mass destruction.
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For more information on the National Disaster Medical System, visit http://www.phe.gov.
