Any nurses who have ideas on how to help in disaster

[nursecheryl]

With all the talk about potential of terrorism in the country it makes me wonder what we as nurses and citizens can do to prevent and or intervene in cases of disaster in our communities. I want to get involved but unsure in what way. I'm interested in emergency radio communication and would be able to help in that way with the help of my husband, but am more interested in the medical part of helping. One way is being part of the emergency response team with red cross. I've attempted to contact them with volunteering but they never got back with me. I guess they have enough help. Do any of you have any ideas about how you can volunteer in this area as a nurse.

[TMPaul]

nursecheryl, the office of Homeland Security has formed a citizens' group that can be mobilized by that office under the auspices of FEMA and the Emergency Management Agency of hte state you live in.

I have signed up for it, but cannot remember the exact name of the agency, I am sorry to say! I clicked on the site as a link from the CDC.gov site. You might try looking there. Sorry to be so vague, but I am at home, and the info is in my office at work. The most likely and most immediate thing I can imagine is the immunization against smallpox. That is the thing that is mentioned in the informtational site.

Good luck, and good hunting!

It's called a DMAT (Disaster Medical Assistance Team) through the Department of FEMA (FEMA is under the Department of Homeland Security). Check FEMA's web site for details.

[Brian, ASN, RN]

just wanted to update this thread with the link to the National Nurse Response Team website

http://www.nationalnurseresponseteam.org/index.html