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The Hampton Roads Metropolitan Medical Response System (HRMMRS) supports, equips, and trains a 47-member strike team to respond to mass casualty incidents as the result of a natural or man-made disaster. The Hampton Roads Metropolitan Medical Strike Team (HRMMST) is comprised of 239 firefighters, paramedics, law enforcement officers, nurses, doctors and public health officials from throughout the region. Additionally, the HRMMST has been trained to operate in a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and/or explosives (CBRNE) environment.
Maintaining a deployable asset, such as the strike team, is not an easy task. The task becomes even more difficult due to the transient nature of team members. Transfers, retirements,and resignations often necessitate the need to replace vacant positions on the team. The resultant turnover of members makes on-going training and team readiness a challenge. Consequently, HRMMRS staff began to develop sustainable training that focuses on the unique equipment and concepts that the HRMMST will deploy. The majority of this training has been developed in house, because unique concepts of the HRMMST do not lend themselves to off-the-shelf programs.
So far this year, HRMMRS staff has developed three “new” courses: HRMMST Member Orientation, Medical Equipment Cache – Medical Force Protection, and Medical Equipment Cache – Immediate Care. Each of these courses consists of on-line training followed by hands-on training. The handson training has been provided during regularly scheduled quarterly drills. In April of 2009, the quarterly drill took place at Langley Air Force Base. The HRMMST responded to a request by the United States Air Force to provide medical coverage in support of the annual Air Power over Hampton Roads Air Show. The team’s second drill was held in August 2009 at the Virginia National Guard Armory in Norfolk. The last quarterly drill of 2009 will be held in December. Details are still being finalized; however the objective is to work closely with one of the area hospitals.
Planning has already begun for 2010 strike team training and will focus on response to hazardous materials events and will culminate in a cooperative drill with the Southside Regional HAZMAT team. The importance of continued funding for the development and delivery of sustainable training cannot be over emphasized as the natural and technological threats of the world we live in continue to grow. While the strike team continues to drill and exercise, its success will be measured by its preparedness to respond.
The HRMMRS is funded by Federal contracts and grants and local contributions to the HRPDC and the Tidewater EMS Council (TEMS).
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