With thousands of people in need of medical care, the Tennessee-1 Disaster Medical Assistance Team arrived in Haiti today, hoping to help relieve some of the suffering.
"Our function is primarily to set up a field emergency room," said Tennessee team commander Ted Rogers, calling from a hotel near Washington, D.C., where 35 members got vaccinated and briefed Monday.
The team -- which has about 115 members from all across the state and is based in Ooltewah -- was alerted on Saturday morning and activated late that same evening, said deputy commander Christy Westmoreland.
"Currently there are five other DMAT teams and a surgical team (in Haiti)," she said. "I don't know if (the Tennessee team) is replacing one of them because they are coming home or if there's a new mission."
Like the National Guard, DMAT is activated "to respond when something happens that compromises the medical infrastructure wherever it happens," said Mr. Rogers, who's also Collegedale's full-time city manager.
The team of physicians, nurses and paramedics, among other professions, was founded in 2002 and sponsored by UT College of Medicine and the Disaster and Medical Special Operations Center, at that time part of the Erlanger Health System. The DMAT team is designed to quickly move into a disaster area and provide medical care, according to its Web site.
Although they've assisted in major power outages, hurricanes such as Katrina, tornadoes and earthquakes, Mr. Rogers said this is the first time they have deployed overseas.
"Peers that I have coming out say it's one of the worst missions they've ever gone on because the conditions are so bad," he said. "Obviously, the infrastructure in country has been completely decimated; there's a lot of disease, a lot of injuries, a lot of tragedy.
"There's no running water, no electricity in most places," he said. "So we are trying to equip for that."
Tim Pysell, deputy commander for operations and a physician's assistant from Athens, Tenn., said he is just grateful for the opportunity to help.
"Everyone is a little uncertain," he said, "but eager more than anything to lend a hand and do whatever we can help."
The team is expected to be deployed for at least two weeks, Mr. Rogers said.
ABOUT THE TEAM
The team of about 35 people from all over Tennessee and North Georgia include:
* About six administrative and command staff
* Four physicians
* Four nurse practitioners
* Physician assistants
* Paramedics
* Logistics personnel
* Communications personnel
* Pharmacy personnel
Source: Ted Rogers, TN-1 DMAT team commander
WHAT IS DMAT?
* A group of medical and logistical professionals with the ability to quickly move into a disaster area and provide medical care.
* The Tennessee team is one of many in the United States affiliated with the National Disaster Medical System, a component of the Office of Preparedness and Emergency Operations in the Department of Health and Human Services.
* The Tennessee-1 Disaster Medical Assistance Team was founded in June 2002 under joint sponsorship of the UT College of Medicine and the Disaster and Medical Special Operations Center which, at that time, was located with Erlanger Health System.
* As of 2006, the TN-1 team is sponsored and directed by the federal government and the fixed base of operations and warehouse is located in the greater Chattanooga area.
Source: www.tn1dmat.com