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News Release

TYPHOON PONGSONA RESPONSE ON GUAM

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced that HHS is sending a total of 117 volunteer doctors, nurses and other professionals to Guam to assist in Typhoon Pongasang response operations. An HHS advance medical assessment team is already on its way to the island.

"The storm hit Guam hard and severely damaged Memorial Hospital," Secretary Thompson said. "Our health care professionals will work with local public health officials and provide medical assistance to those in need."

The DMATs are from San Diego, Calif. and Toledo, Ohio. In addition to regular team staffing, five critical care nurses, five emergency room nurses, and 5 respiratory therapists will go along to support hospital operations. Two Deployable Rapid Assembly Shelter systems are being shipped for use as temporary facilities until more permanent services are available.

HHS disaster medical response is part of the National Disaster Medical System, a volunteer network of more than 8,000 doctors, nurses and other health and support personnel from both the public and private sectors. The DMATs include specialized teams to handle burns, pediatrics, crush injuries, surgery, mental health and incidents involving weapons of mass destruction. In addition, there are other teams to assist with mortuary operations and to provide veterinary support for affected animals. The National Disaster Medical System also includes 2,000 participating hospitals with 100,000 available beds to respond to mass casualty incidents and emergency patient transportation.

In recent years, HHS teams have responded to an unprecedented number of challenges, including: the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and the Oklahoma City bombing; natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and ice storms; and transportation disasters including the TWA Flight 800, Egypt Air, Alaska Air and American Flight 587 crashes.

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Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at www.hhs.gov/news.

Last Revised: December 11, 2002