Redmond Firefighter Deploys to Texas
EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY
September 1, 2017
CONTACT
Lisa Maher, Communications & Marketing Manager
lmaher@redmond.gov
425-556-2427
Redmond, WA - A Redmond Fire Department member of the Washington Disaster
Medical Assistance Team (WA-1 DMAT) has been deployed to the Gulf States in
support of the response effort to Hurricane Harvey. Firefighter/Paramedic Mike
Waite was deployed on Tuesday evening to a staging area in Dallas, Texas for
further assignment to help the residents of affected states with their medical
needs.
FF/PM Waite is a member of
the Washington Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) which plays a critical
role in the medical response to a disaster. Waite will be assigned to work supporting
field medical units that supplement local emergency response efforts. The DMAT
teams are part of the National Disaster Medical Systems which is one of the
resources used by FEMA. The team is designed to be self-sufficient for 72-hours
including food and medicine. The WA-1 DMAT team is composed of physicians,
paramedics, nurses and other allied medical staff.
DMAT teams provide a rapid response element to supplement
local medical care until other Federal or contract resources can be mobilized. The
team offers medical care at pre-staged sites similar to a field hospital or
temporary care site that stabilizes patients while waiting for evacuation to
hospitals.
“When disasters occur such as Hurricane Harvey, the
nation’s emergency responders come together to help these distressed
communities,” Chief Tommy Smith stated. “This type of disaster could happen
anywhere, and the type of experience and support provided by the DMAT and U.S.
Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams are resources emergency managers depend on
when local responders are overwhelmed. We are very proud that our Fire
Department can offer this assistance to FEMA and those devastated communities
in Texas and Louisiana.”
Paramedic Waite is expected to be deployed for at least
two weeks with the team. Waite has been with the Redmond Fire Department for 16
years and a member of the DMAT for three years as a paramedic.
For more information contact Lisa
Maher, Communications & Marketing Manager, at lmaher@redmond.gov or 425-556-2427.
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