Disaster team ready for callback.Byline: Jim Feehan The Register-Guard Three members of the Oregon Disaster Medical Team arrived in Louisiana on Saturday to assist with the Hurricane Katrina recovery effort, and other members wait to hear whether they'll be sent to New Orleans a second time since the hurricane and subsequent floods slammed the Gulf Coast. Since its creation in 1999, the team of volunteer health care professionals from Oregon and Southwest Washington never has been called to the same disaster twice. But the extent of the disaster in the Gulf Coast could change that, said the team leader, Dr. Helen Miller, a pediatrician from Eugene. "With so much of the infrastructure damaged by the floodwaters, our mission to support them will be extended," Miller said. Recently arrived in Louisiana are Dr. Larry Dunlap, an emergency medicine physician from Eugene; Dr. Lewis Rubinson of Bend; and Melina Moran, a registered nurse from Portland. Ten members of the Oregon team left for the region Aug. 28, the day before the hurricane struck the Gulf Coast of Louisiana CODE, OF LOUISIANA. In 1822, Peter Derbigny, Edward Livingston, and Moreau Lislet, were selected by the legislature to revise and amend the civil code, and to add to it such laws still in force as were not included therein. and Mississippi. Another 37 members left two days later for the New Orleans airport, which served as the evacuee e·vac·u·ee n. A person evacuated from a dangerous area. Noun 1. evacuee - a person who has been evacuated from a dangerous place migrant, migrator - traveler who moves from one region or country to another point and casualty collection, field triage triage Division of patients for priority of care, usually into three categories: those who will not survive even with treatment; those who will survive without treatment; and those whose survival depends on treatment. , treatment and medical evacuation point for the city. Those responders returned home Sept. 10, Miller said. "We were told they (the National Disaster Medical System and the Federal Emergency Management Agency The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is the federal agency responsible for coordinating emergency planning, preparedness, risk reduction, response, and recovery. The agency works closely with state and local governments by funding emergency programs and providing technical ) likely would come around again to us for support in about a week or so from our demobilization de·mo·bil·ize tr.v. de·mo·bil·ized, de·mo·bil·iz·ing, de·mo·bil·iz·es 1. To discharge from military service or use. 2. To disband (troops). from our initial mission to the New Orleans airport," Miller said. "We're ready to go again on short notice." When the team is activated formally, members can be on the ground or en route within 12 hours, Miller said. The team is deployed by FEMA FEMA, n.pr See Federal Emergency Management Agency. , which is coordinating the relief efforts. Part of the National Disaster Medical System, the team and others like it serve as FEMA's medical arm in the event of any disasters that result in mass casualties. A 35-member medical team from Washington also remains on stand-by redeployment re·de·ploy tr.v. re·de·ployed, re·de·ploy·ing, re·de·ploys 1. To move (military forces) from one combat zone to another. 2. . The Seattle-based team worked with the Oregon team at the New Orleans airport. The Oregon team is accustomed to dealing with hurricanes, having responded last year to deal with the aftermaths of Ivan and Frances. Members also have dealt with man-made disasters. During the 2002 Winter Olympics, team members were housed in a warehouse in Salt Lake City in case of disaster. They also went to New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. |
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