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(source)NDMS is a nationwide federally coordinated system under the Department of Health and Human Services dedicated to making our nation more prepared for a disaster - whether it is a natural or man-made one. Our mission is “to design, develop and maintain a national capability to deliver quality medical care to the victims of - and responders to - a domestic disaster.” NDMS provides state-of-the art medical care under any conditions at a disaster site, in transit from the impacted area, and into participating definitive care facilities.

NDMS is made up of more than 8,000 dedicated civilian personnel who are organized into specialized teams that focus on particular areas of a disaster response. These people are your neighbors and your friends. They may be physicians, nurses, social workers, psychologists, pharmacists, infectious disease specialists/epidemiologists, veterinarians, emergency medical services personnel, morticians, environmental health specialists, dentists, health care administrators, State and local public health officials, emergency managers, emergency planners or public health workers who come from your state and even from your town. These are people who give their time to train and learn so they can be prepared to deploy when called upon by the federal government to support state and local authorities in response to a disaster.

Understanding a bit about the different groups of people who respond to disasters and provide aid to the victims is an important part of learning about what goes on when disaster strikes. In this case, the discussion is about the National Disaster Medical System.

Ultimately, when disaster strikes, medical assistance is often necessary. Knowing that doctors, nurses, social workers and many others - both local to the disaster area and from around the country are willing to give their time ensures a sense of peace of mind. While medical aid is not the only aid necessary, it’s good to know that it is available.