Dmat?

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I was wondering if anyone on here has participated as a member of the disaster medical assistance team for homeland security? If so, care to share your experience? It sounds like an interesting experience!
 
It's not. You usually man a tent. Sometimes at something neat, like an air show, so you can watch it part of the time. Otherwise you're just out somewhere doing a clinic in a tent where some natural disaster happened.

All the clipboards.
 
I have been on my state team since 2005. didn't go to katrina but did go to Haiti. had a great time. we also sent folks to sandy this year and american samoa a few years ago. several team members went to nyc for 9/11. some folks do hang out in the tent but many of us were parts of mobile field teams. it takes a long time to get on a team (took me 2 years with FBI background checks, etc supposedly it is now 6 months) but once on you get a lot of free cme. overall, a worthwile experience. when deployed you are a federal employee with malpractice, etc and you get paid a bit. I get about 40% of my regular rate on deployments. housing/travel/food , etc is covered on deployments.
 
There's a guy with whom I work that is an NP who was on a DMAT in Katrina. They also "did stuff" and didn't just man a tent and carry a clipboard. However, the NP had been an IDC (independent duty corpsman) in the Navy, so he knew for what to look. People that don't are the ones sitting there. One of my attendings when I was a resident was on a DMAT as a resident, then on another in our region when he was attending. Likewise, he "did stuff", and didn't just ride the tent.
 
"Did stuff"

What does that entail? Was he out clearing houses? Guarding the drug tent?
Don't delude people. Just like SWAT medicine, the docs are there for support, not to get hurt playing hero.
Here's a list of NC-1 DMAT deployments (major ones, anyway). If you look, it talks about the things you would think mobile medical groups do. Treat patients. Even as part of a small group going around, I just don't get it (beyond the service aspect, which I respect). Think of it like international medicine. Hey, I like to go on vacation too. I just try not to pretend I'm working really hard while I'm there.
 
"Did stuff" was leaving the tent, doing the mobile medical, population studies, and whatever arose. The guy at work told me stories of rape, robbery, and murder inside the Superdome.

I might tend to believe him over you, unless you were on a DMAT. Were you, then I would certainly listen to you. However, it sounds to me that you just want to argue. Maybe I am wrong.
 
Apollyon said:
"Did stuff" was leaving the tent, doing the mobile medical, population studies, and whatever arose. The guy at work told me stories of rape, robbery, and murder inside the Superdome.

I might tend to believe him over you, unless you were on a DMAT. Were you, then I would certainly listen to you. However, it sounds to me that you just want to argue. Maybe I am wrong.
Click to expand...

I was on the DMAT in eastern NC in residency. Not many people ventured out from where we were expected.
I had a similar experience after Katrina in med school. Kind of a "you're here to help, not visit". Doesn't mean people who run the show don't get more freedom, but I compared it to most medical mission trips.
 
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