Recent Deployments
2010 Haiti Earthquake -- Comments from Dr. John Twomey
Those who spent time in New Orleans thought no future disaster conditions could be worse. We were wrong; Haiti was so much more so, on so many levels. It was, and remains, a disaster of epic proportions. I was deployed as part of an IMSuRT team to help treat the overwhelming number of victims with traumatic injuries. The surgery teams worked day and night for the three weeks I was there. In spite of the extremely austere conditions, we successfully treated thousands of patients with a broad range of illnesses, wounds and injuries. There were fractures, open fractures often with significant tissue loss, head injuries, lacerations, crushes and traumatic amputations. We could not possibly treat every victim of the quake or save all of those we did treat, but we did the very best we could for so many under extremely dire circumstances. We experienced shortages of food, water and basic supplies, oppressive heat and humidity, a lack of good hygiene and horrendous sleeping conditions. We didn't let this bother us though because we had only to look at the quake victims all around us to realize conditions for us were not nearly so bad. And, at the end of the deployment, we all went back to our own normalcy while the nightmare in Haiti continues every day.
Those who spent time in New Orleans thought no future disaster conditions could be worse. We were wrong; Haiti was so much more so, on so many levels. It was, and remains, a disaster of epic proportions. I was deployed as part of an IMSuRT team to help treat the overwhelming number of victims with traumatic injuries. The surgery teams worked day and night for the three weeks I was there. In spite of the extremely austere conditions, we successfully treated thousands of patients with a broad range of illnesses, wounds and injuries. There were fractures, open fractures often with significant tissue loss, head injuries, lacerations, crushes and traumatic amputations. We could not possibly treat every victim of the quake or save all of those we did treat, but we did the very best we could for so many under extremely dire circumstances. We experienced shortages of food, water and basic supplies, oppressive heat and humidity, a lack of good hygiene and horrendous sleeping conditions. We didn't let this bother us though because we had only to look at the quake victims all around us to realize conditions for us were not nearly so bad. And, at the end of the deployment, we all went back to our own normalcy while the nightmare in Haiti continues every day.
Past Deployments
In 2004, team members from MN-1DMAT deployed for the first time. In all, 25 team members were deployed in response to Hurricanes Francis, Ivan, and Jeanne. Some of us deployed with other DMAT's to provide medical care to victims, while others deployed as part of a new FEMA program. These team members operated Mobile Disaster Recovery Center's (MDRC's) which provided communication support in areas where the storms knocked out phone and internet service. Still, others deployed to Washington DC to help with administrative duties. After it was all said and done, team members deployed to Maryland to help restock supplies.
In 2005, MN-1 DMAT continued to serve. MN-1 had a continuous field presence responding to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, from August 28, 2005, the day before the storm, through the end of the year. We sent out two full 35-person teams, eight 5-person strike teams, a six member logistics deployment to Fredrick, MD, a two person administrative deployment to the OSC in Washington DC, and several individual deployments. In all, 71 team members deployed during this time. Numerous members deployed more than once, and many of them continued to provide assistance to victims of the hurricanes long after their two week commitment was completed.
In 2008, MN-1 DMAT was deployed September 9, 2008 for a 2-week deployment to Texas in response to Hurricane Ike.
Questions? Comments? Concerns about the site? Contact our Webmaster
