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Date: Friday, Sept. 5, 1997 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: HHS Press Office (202)690-6343
The 7 cities announced today are: New York, N.Y., ($800,000), Baltimore, Md., ($350,000), Philadelphia, Pa., ($350,000), Detroit, Mich., ($350,000), Chicago, Ill., ($450,000), Indianapolis, Ind., ($350,000), and Jacksonville, Fla., ($350,000).
The teams, known as Metropolitan Medical Strike Teams (MMSTs) are designed to provide initial, on-site response and provide for safe patient transportation to hospital emergency rooms in the event of terrorist attack. They also will be capable of providing medical and mental health care to victims of such attacks and prepare to move victims to other regions should local health care resources be overrun.
"When terrorism strikes, the immediate consequences are local and the impact on human health must be our first priority," Shalala said. "MMSTs will address that priority by being highly trained, readily deployable, and fully equipped to address any effects on human health."
The first MMSTs were established as prototypes in the metropolitan area of Washington, D.C., and in preparation for the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta. The MMST system for each city will be tailored to work within that city's existing local emergency planning and response systems.
The systems are characterized by specially trained responders; available special pharmaceuticals and decontamination equipment; on-site health care; and enhanced emergency medical transportation and emergency room capabilities.
Of the $9.2 million, $6.6 million was provided under the Nunn-Lugar-Domenici provision of the National Defense Authorization Act of 1997, while an additional $2.6 million will be made available from appropriations made to HHS for emergency preparedness.