When disaster strikes, we're "Ready For The Call"

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Since 9-11, many healthcare professionals have asked, "What can I do to help my community or other communities?" We are a Federal Disaster Medical Assistance Team (FL-2 DMAT) operating under the Department of Health and Human Services, and a Florida State Medical Response Team, Region 6 (SMRT-6). We provide care to the sick and injured during a disaster. A DMAT/SMRT team is responsible for the triage and stabilization of patients at a disaster site, and provides basic medical services at transfer points and during transportation to definitive care sites. To learn more about DMATs, check out the website and carefully read and understand the information below.        

Based in Southwest Florida, we are a team of volunteer medical professionals and support staff who provide medical care when activated by either the federal or state government.

We can be deployed in an emergency or disaster to anywhere within the United States or its possessions.  Conditions can be very austere at times. DMAT teams have been deployed to the nation of Haiti in 2010, so international deployments are also now a possibility. It would be helpful to have a valid passport.

This is not full or part time employment; this is an intermittent position that will be paid only if you are deployed. There are no benefits. You must be an American citizen and live within 200 miles of the Fort Myers, Florida area. In addition, you cannot be a present federal government employee (such as the military, military reserves, or the VA).

• How we work

Team employees are prepared to live and work from tents when necessary, and have learned the art of field living through their drills and exercises. Team employees bring with them a wide diversity of knowledge and abilities in the medical and logistical fields. Teamwork and following the chain of command according to the Incident Command System (ICS) is an important part of each and every deployment.

Unfortunately, due to factors beyond our control, there is presently only very, very limited hiring in place for our team, or any team in the NDMS system.

Postings are only listed monthly on the Public Health Emergency web site www.phe.gov.

On the right-hand side of the page, click "National Disaster Medical System Intermittent Employment Opportunities". The postings are not team specific, so you would have to pick your specialty and see which areas are hiring for this position. Also, check back with this site as open positions are added monthly.

You may also contact us to see which positions we are permitted to hire. Several positions, such as paramedics and nurses, are full. Other positions, such as doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and pharmacists are open.

It would be to your benefit to have the following ICS courses completed before you seek application to join the team: IS 100, IS 200, IS 700, IS 800.

These courses are required to be completed BEFORE you can be hired by the team. The courses are free and available from the FEMA website (see column at left).