Disaster Medical Assistance Team

A Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) is a group of professional and para-professional medical personnel organized to provide rapid-response medical care or casualty decontamination during a terrorist attack, natural disaster, or other incident in the United States. DMATs are part of the National Disaster Medical System and operate under the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

DMATs, since their origin have all been organized under the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS). NDMS as a branch was originally under the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) within The Department of Health and Human Services(DHHS). In 2003, as a direct result of 9-11 the newly formed Department of Homeland Security (DHS), requested, and was granted convening authority over NDMS which was then placed under the direction of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). After Hurricane Katrina, amidst allegations of mismanagement (etc.), NDMS was removed from FEMA and sent back to DHHS, as legislated by an Act of Congress entitled. "the Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA)", (Public Law 109-417), effective January 1, 2007 which positioned NDMS, organizationally, within ASPR’s Office of Preparedness and Emergency Operations (OPEO), where it is now an asset of The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (formerly the Office of Public Health Emergency Preparedness), and receives its annual budget from The Office of Preparedness and Emergency Operations (OPEO), which is also under the ASPR. The OPEO is responsible for developing operational plans, analytical products, and training exercises to ensure the preparedness of the Office, the Department, the Federal Government and the public to respond to domestic and international public health and medical threats and emergencies. OPEO is also responsible for ensuring that ASPR has the systems, logistical support, and procedures necessary to coordinate the Department’s operational response to acts of terrorism and other public health and medical threats and emergencies. OPEO maintains a regional planning and response coordination capability, and has operational responsibility for HHS functions related to the National Disaster Medical Systems (NDMS). OPEO acts as the primary operational liaison to emergency response entities within HHS (e.g., FDA, HRSA, SAMHSA, CDC), within the interagency community (e.g., HDS, VA, DoD), and the public. ).

The National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) is a Federally coordinated system that augments the Nation's emergency medical response capability. It was created by executive order by the President of the United States in 1984. 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 and health effects of major peacetime disasters and providing support to the military and Veterans Health Administration medical systems in caring for casualties evacuated back to the U.S. from overseas armed conflicts.

NDMS is a Federally coordinated system that is a private/public partnership between the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Veterans Administration (VA), Department of Defense (DOD), US Public Health Service (PHS), DMAT members, and civilian hospitals throughout the United States.

DMATs formerly were primarily a local asset to their home region and were integrated into the Emergency Response Plan of that area. However, after an Act of Congress in 2003, when DMAT members were given the job protection of USERRA, DMAT members became federal intermittent employees and are considered by the federal government to be employees and not volunteers. They respond as needed to provide first aid, casualty clearing (triage and medical stabilization), emergent surgical stabilization, medical staging, transportation from disaster areas by military or civilian aeromedical transport, and definitive medical care in hospital facilities that have dedicated beds for the NDMS when needed.