Every year, the advent of hurricane season often means gale-force winds, heavy rainfall, destructive flooding, massive power outages, endless debris and general chaos. We have all seen the gripping images of the aftermath. Today’s media ensures that we never forget the devastation endured by so many. Oftentimes, the most negative aspects of these situations take center stage. However, what we rarely see is the incredible outpouring of support that responds almost immediately — sometimes even before the hurricane actually hits.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services readily dispatches its National Medical Disaster Services volunteers to provide aide to those impacted by major hurricanes and other natural disasters. There are more than 100 teams of volunteers across the country. The Missouri-1 Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) has more than 100 emergency responder volunteers who donate their time to support this effort. The teams are never dispatched until the state affected requests assistance from the federal government.
“It’s comforting to know that there are people who are willing to drop everything at a moment’s notice to help others in need, while expecting nothing in return,” says Carol Messner, RN, an ED nurse at Saint Louis University Hospital and Missouri-1 DMAT member since 2003. “Our team members are helping people that they will likely never see again, and are rewarded by simply knowing that they made a difference.”
Saint Louis University Hospital is proud to have four staff members represented on the region’s stage one responder team: Dwight Jones, RT; Phyllis Kessler, RN; Carol Messner, RN; and Helen Sandkuhl, RN. Messner is not only a team member; she is also a training officer. She and her team members participated in a thorough application process (generally four to six months long) and intensive training sessions to receive certification. They were trained on the specific equipment that all teams use on-site at each disaster. Often, this equipment may be different than what they are familiar with at the hospital, clinic or ambulance.
“The application and training processes are crucial to the system’s effectiveness and reliability,” says Messner. “Our team operates as a family, and each member must be able to fully trust one another.”
As a level-one response team, the Missouri-1 DMAT members, who are on-call, have two hours to report to the program’s headquarters when they are paged to help with a disaster. This means packing their bags and arranging care for their families and pets in order to leave immediately for a 14-day period.
For each disaster, the team typically dispatches 35 members, which includes doctors, nurses, EMTs, medics, logistics operators and command staff. Once the team arrives to the disaster site via truck, the members quickly set up the camp’s base of operations, including the main tent, communications and necessary equipment. Working as an independent unit for the first 72 hours, the team relies on an established command structure to ensure a seamless operation.
The Missouri-1 Team has assisted with numerous national disasters. For Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the team worked tirelessly for 16 days to assist the countless residents and hospital patients who could not leave the area and required critical medical attention. And just last fall, the team helped with the relief efforts during Hurricane Gustav.
“Usually, they call us in right before the storm hits and then we move in after the hurricane,” says Messner. “With Hurricane Gustav, they told us to hurry to Baton Rouge prior to the hurricane making landfall. However, once we arrived in the area, the storm was actually licking at our heels. Now, that was another experience altogether.”
The team’s main assignment was to provide assistance at a special needs shelter. The patients all presented unique circumstances. Many were blind, deaf, or disabled, and they cared for several amputees. Although the team had minimal sleep, they managed to help many get through the worst of the hurricane.
“One can only imagine the devastation that we have witnessed while on various assignments —the effects can certainly take its toll,” says Messner. “That’s why it’s important for the team to function as a family.”
The Missouri-1 Team embodies a ‘take care of our team’ approach to help boost morale. For instance, at the end of the day, they will watch movies that are projected onto the side of one of the equipment trucks. They also play interactive games, including board and card games. This allows everyone a chance to unwind and reclaim some balance during the time that they are on-site.
“I am proud to be a part of such an incredible group of generous, considerate individuals,” says Messner. “It’s rewarding to see people helping others. It reminds us of the power and importance of humanity.”
If you would like more information about the Missouri-1 Disaster Medical Assistance Team or would like to join the team, please email jill.thorp@hhs.gov or visit the Team’s website at www.mo1dmat.org.