National Disaster Medical System

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response

Office of Preparedness and Emergency Operations

Ordinary Heroes in Extraordinary Times
National Disaster Medical 

System: Ordinary Heroes in 

Extraordinary Times

Natural and man-made disasters—hurricanes, 

earthquakes, pandemic disease, major transportation accidents, terrorist attacks—bring an urgent 

need for health and medical care and sometimes 

for people to help with mass casualties.

These “worst of times” can overwhelm the resources 

of a state or local agency. That’s when the National 

Disaster Medical System (NDMS) is called to action.

At a state’s request, NDMS provides personnel, 

equipment, supplies, and a system of partner hospitals 

working together with state and local personnel to 

provide care and support to communities when every 

minute counts.

“For me, it’s a chance to participate in an urgent medical 

need in a way that is compatible with my day job. It’s a 

chance to work with a very competent, enthusiastic group 

of people on a common problem. And I always learn new 

information with every event.” 

– Dr. John Andrews, OH-1 DMAT
Ordinary Heroes

NDMS personnel are pre-organized and trained 

as teams which draw on an array of professionals: doctors, nurses, paramedics, emergency 

medical technicians, pharmacists, veterinarians, forensic dentists, funeral directors, logistics 

specialists, and many others. In a major disaster these teams travel to the disaster site to provide emergency medical care, staff medical 

shelters or medical stations, augment hospital 

staff, provide veterinary care, or conduct disaster mortuary operations. 

NDMS team personnel are intermittent federal employees, paid by the federal government for their service to the nation when 

called into action for a national emergency response. Today, there are more than 

7,000 professionals and support staff 

on more than 90 teams throughout the 

country who have agreed to help devastated communities by becoming a part 

of NDMS.

NDMS personnel are required to maintain appropriate certifications and licensure within their discipline. When 

personnel are activated, licensure 

and certification is recognized by all 

states. Additionally, NDMS medical personnel have the protection 

of the Federal Tort Claims Act in 

which the federal government becomes the defendant in the event 

of a malpractice claim and coverage under the Uniform Services 

Employment and Reemployment 

Rights Act (USERRA) for federal 

trainings and response to a Public Health Emergency or potential Public Health Emergency.

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NDMS Medical 

Teams

The NDMS provides care for 

people using three types of 

medical teams: Disaster Medi-

cal Assistance Teams (DMAT), 

International Medical Surgi-

cal Teams (IMSURT), and Na-

tional Medical Response Teams 

(NMRT). These professional and 

para-professional medical per-

sonnel, supported by pharmacists, 

epidemiologists, logistical and ad-

ministrative staff, provide medical 

care during a disaster or other na-

tional events, such as the presiden-

tial inauguration. The medical teams may triage pa

-

tients, provide high-quality medical 

care despite the adverse and austere 

environment often found at a disaster 

site, prepare patients for evacuation, 

and provide patient reception at stag-

ing facilities when disaster victims are 

evacuated to a different locale to receive 

definitive medical care. NDMS also includes National 

Veterinary 

Response Teams (NVRT), cadres of profes-

sionals with expertise in veterinary medi-

cine, public health and research. These team 

`technicians, with support from safety offi-

cers, logisticians, communications special-

ists, and others—assess the veterinary medi-

cal needs of the community, provide medical 

treatment and stabilization of animals, con-

duct animal disease surveillance or zoonotic 

disease surveillance and public health assess-

ments, and provide care and support of animals 

certified as official responders to a disaster or 

emergency. 4

Photo by Lt Cdr Chris O’Neil, USCG
Mortuary Teams

Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Teams (DMORT) 

are comprised of forensic scientists, medical examiners, 

coroners, pathologists, forensic anthropologists, medical 

records technicians and transcribers, finger print specialists, 

forensic odontologists, dental assistants, x-ray technicians, funeral 

directors, mental health specialists, computer professionals, administrative support staff, and security and investigative personnel.

The teams are activated for disasters 

with mass casualties, working under 

the guidance of local authorities to 

provide technical assistance and personnel. DMORT personnel may set up 

temporary morgue facilities or work 

in local facilities to help with victim 

identification and assist in the processing, preparation and the disposition of 

remains. Their work provides support at 

a critical time for families who have lost 

loved ones in the disaster.

“First and foremost, I wanted to use my 

education and experience to help others. 

Being on a federal team also gave me national 

experience because I was exposed to larger, 

more visible disaster response activities that, 

otherwise, I wouldn’t have encountered.” 

– John Linstrom, DMORT-IX

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The Extraordinary Times

Some years are disaster free. Some years teem with 

multiple disasters. That’s why NDMS team personnel stand ready to spend up to two weeks at a 

disaster. Team employees attend various training 

events to better prepare them during responses.

In a disaster, hotels, restaurants and hospitals 

may be destroyed. NDMS arranges transportation for teams and meets the team on location with medical equipment and supplies, 

mobile “field hospital” style tents, food, and 

water so that teams can support the disaster 

medical response and care for themselves. 

Teams must be capable of self-sustaining in 

austere environments for 72 hours because 

transportation to restock food and water 

can be challenging in major disaster situations. NDMS also provides a command 

structure so teams can work effectively 

and focus on providing medical care.

“There’s no better feeling than providing medical care to appreciative 

patients in their time of need. In the 

fast-paced, post-disaster environment when you never know what’s 

coming next, you realize how much 

more you’re capable of doing than 

you thought you were.” 

– David Lipin, CA-6 DMAT 

 

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“

I wanted to make a difference in pets/

animals lives more than I was doing in 

private practice. I wanted to do something 

different and challenging. The idea of 

helping animals and their owners during 

their greatest need interested me. I had 

no idea my first deployment would be to 

care for Urban Search and Rescue dogs 

on Ground Zero. Helping our country 

protect itself, although in a different way 

than normal, is an added bonus.” 

– Karen Iovino, DVM, NVRT-2

Delivering Critical Services

NDMS enhances a state or community’s health 

and medical response capability. State and local 

health care systems benefit from a coordinated 

federal effort that provides: 

• Medical response to supplement services at 

the disaster site

• Patient evacuation to designated locations 

throughout the U.S. for casualties that can-

not be cared for locally or when health-

care facilities in the disaster path must 

evacuate

• Hospitalization through a national net-

work of hospitals that have agreed to ac-

cept patients from a major disaster area. To make it happen, NDMS brings together four federal agencies: the Department 

of Health and Human Services (HHS), 

the Department of Defense (DoD), the 

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), 

and the Department of Homeland Se-

curity’s Federal Emergency Manage-

ment Agency (DHS/FEMA). 

At the disaster site, NDMS teams may 

establish field hospitals, triage pa-

tients, provide austere medical care, 

augment overwhelmed healthcare 

staffs, and/or prepare patients for 

evacuation. To safely and efficiently evacuate 

patients from hospitals, DoD, VA, 

and NDMS personnel work sideby-side with hospital’s staff, including patients’ doctors. More 

than 2,000 hospitals and other 

medical facilities have agreed 

to receive disaster patients on 

a moment’s notice as part of 

the NDMS network.

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Could you be an ordinary hero in 

extraordinary times? Find out...

http://www.hhs.gov/aspr/opeo/ndms/

join/index.html 

“It takes a special kind of person to join NDMS, 

someone motivated by a strong desire– a devotion–

to helping those in need who are experiencing some 

of the most devastating circumstances of their lives. 

You would have to be prepared to go out the door at a 

moment’s notice, leaving family, friends, job, and the 

normal routine but during a disaster mission you get 

to use the skills you already have in a very special and 

unique way. It is immensely gratifying.” 

– Dr. Patricia Kaufmann, DMORT-III

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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response

Office of Preparedness and Emergency Operations

National Disaster Medical System

330 Independence Avenue SW 

Room G644

Washington, DC 20201

E-mail:

recruitment.ndms@hhs.gov 
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response

Office of Preparedness and Emergency Operations