The Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS) is formerly a U.S. Department of Homeland Security Grant Program that provided funding to the 124 largest jurisdictions to support the integration of emergency management, health, and medical systems into a coordinated response to mass casualty incidents caused by any hazard.  The MMRS program reduces the consequences of a mass casualty incident during the initial period of a response by having augmented existing local operational response systems before the incident occurs.

The Hampton Roads Metropolitan Medical Response System (HRMMRS) was developed under the direction of the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (HRPDC) in 1999. It includes the cities of Chesapeake, Franklin, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach and Williamsburg and the counties of Gloucester, Isle of Wight, James City, Southampton, Surry and York, and the Town of Smithfield. It covers an area of 2900 square miles and a population of approximately 1.7 million. The HRPDC contracts with the Tidewater EMS Council to manage the activities of the HRMMRS. Between 1999 and 2014 the Hampton Roads region received nearly $10 million in Homeland Security grants to develop and support the MMRS system. A local assessment from the Hampton Roads jurisdictions provides for ongoing program sustainment.

The HRMMRS supports and enhances Hampton Roads public safety, hospital, public health, and emergency management response capabilities to manage mass casualty incidents.

The HRMMRS supports, equips and trains a 44-member (213 member call group) Hampton Roads Metropolitan Medical Strike Team (HRMMST) that provides on-scene expertise and resources to the Incident Commander during a disaster. The HRMMST is a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosives (CBRNE) trained medical emergency response team that maintains a redundant response capability of personnel, trucks, trailers, equipment, supplies, and communications on the Peninsula and Southside.

The HRMMRS maintains a pharmaceutical cache of nerve antidotes, antibiotics and other medications that are immediately available in all EMS agencies, hospitals and public health departments in the Hampton Roads area.

The HRMMRS has purchased personnel protective equipment for public safety agency, hospital, public health and medical examiner personnel; decontamination systems for 15 hospitals; radiation detectors for fire/EMS and law enforcement vehicles; 11 Disaster Medical Support Units, 10 Mass Casualty / Evacuation Transport Units and 13 Shelter Support Units; CBRNE identification equipment for HAZMAT teams; emergency generators for shelters; communication equipment for hospitals, public health and HAZMAT teams; medication temperature control equipment for responder vehicles; and supplies/equipment for mass prophylaxis dispensing centers.

The HRMMRS funds and provides staff support for ongoing training and exercises in mass casualty incident and disaster response.

 For more information about the HRMMRS, contact David Long, MA, Program Manager, at (757) 963-0632, ext 304 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.hrmmrs.org.

The Hampton Roads Metropolitan Medical Response System (HRMMRS) is managed by the Tidewater EMS Council through an agreement with the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission.

The Hampton Roads Metropolitan Medical Response System (HRMMRS) provides a variety of training courses for public safety and healthcare personnel in the Hampton Roads region. Here is a partial list of the training provided:

• IS-300: Intermediate ICS for Expanding Incidents Course
• IS-400: Advanced ICS for Command and General Staff - Complex Incidents Course
• Mass Casualty Incdient Management - Module I
• and more.....

Additional training courses are provided throughout the year. To see the schedule of these, and other courses, view our calendar.

Welcome to the HRMMRS News! You can obtain the latest news from the HRMMRS through a variety of sources. General news will be posted here on the HRMMRS website and on Facebook. In addition, Strike Team members will receive additional news, announcements and other information directly via e-mail. We hope that you will find our news informative.

On September 19, 2016 Governor Terry McAuliffe announced that $5.7 million in federal funds will be awarded for 99 projects to enhance emergency preparedness and security throughout the Commonwealth. 

Governor McAuliffe’s public safety and homeland security team initiated a stakeholder-driven process to determine how the grants would be allocated this year. 

"An inclusive grant process, where all stakeholders are involved, is the key to understanding the security needs of a community," said Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security, Brian Moran. "We will continue to build upon the foundation we have laid with these grants in our efforts to keep the citizens of our Commonwealth safe and secure."

Old Dominion University assisted with scoring the graded proposals, based on a benefit-cost ratio, as requested by the public safety stakeholders.

The HRMMRS submitted regional grant requests through the Hampton Roads Planning DIstrict Commission. Two HRMMRS projects received funding from this grant cycle. These projects are:

• MCI and Mass Care Capability Sustainment: $59,500
• CBRNE Pharmaceutical Stockpile – Nerve Agent Antidote and Antibiotics: $80,565

Read more at: Governor McAuliffe Announces $5.7 Million in Homeland Security Grant Awards

The Hampton Roads Metropolitan Medical Strike Team (HRMMST) is trained and equipped to provide operational assistance and expertise to the Incident Commander/Unified Command regarding the medical effects of an incident whether CBRNE, conventional, or weather-related. As need or threat levels change, composition, organization, and mission of the team may change to meet the threat or need. The HRMMST mission is to close these gaps identified using regional threat and capability assessments. Consequently, the HRMMST has developed and continues to strengthen the following seven capabilities:

• Chemical Weapon and Toxic Industrial Chemical Antidote Administration
• Warm Zone Triage, Decontamination, and Monitoring & Detection
• Medical Casualty Management and Patient Movement Coordination
• Rehabilitation and Medical Force Protection
• Medical Consultation and Coordination
• Functional/Medical Needs Sheltering Assistance
• Mass Fatality Assistance

It is the mission of the HRMMST to supplement and enhance the local and mutual aid response to all-hazards incidents within the region, for up to 96 hours, with limited logistical support. This time frame allows state and federal assets time to mobilize and integrate into incident operations. 

On August 31, 2018, Governor Northam announced that VDEM received 110 grant requests totaling nearly $8 million to compete for the competitive portion of these federal funds. Forty-eight projects were awarded a total of $2.2 million from competitive State Homeland Security Program funds and $1.5 million was awarded to the Hampton Roads Urban Area Security Initiative (HR UASI) to address the unique needs of this high-threat, high-density urban area.

The Virginia Modeling and Simulation Center at Old Dominion University manages the peer-review process conducted by Virginia’s public safety stakeholders for competitive grants, and scores proposals based upon benefit-cost ratios. Awards have funded a diverse group of programs including community outreach and preparedness programs, interoperability efforts, sheltering programs, equipment enhancement and exercises.

“Virginia has elected to use an inclusive and detailed grant review process, incorporating stakeholder expertise to understand the security needs across the Commonwealth to allow us to use our limited grant funds to support the most critical needs facing our first responders,” said Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Brian Moran. The HRMMRS submitted regional grant requests through the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission.

State Homeland Security Grant projects approved:
• MCI and Mass Care Capability Sustainment: $70,000
• Point of Care Ultrasound – replacement: $73,500

Urban Areas Security Initiative Grant projects approved:

• MCI Transportation Package – MCETU replacement: $168,000
• MCI Transportation Package – Enclosed ATV Ambulances: $63,412
• Personal Protective Equipment – Replacement: $81,838