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"Disaster Deployment Basics" – Part A, Introduction

"Disaster Deployment Basics" – Part A, Introduction

What you need to know your first time out.

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Part A – Introduction:

Disasters can strike anytime, anywhere.  Some may be predictable while otherscan occur without any warning. Often these events affecting so many lives that it is beyond the capability of local resources to handle. As members of Fire Department Task Forces, Wild land Firefighter Teams, Urban Search and Rescue Teams, Disaster Medical Assistance Teams, or any other of a number of special teams we are the ones called upon to assist with incident stabilization, or recovery efforts.

            While attending EMT school early in my career I had the privilege of responding to Flagler County, Florida for the 1998 wildfires as a student and observer of Florida One Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT). This was my introduction to major event deployments.  The team quickly set up a care station for thousands of firefighters operating in and around the camp. In the few days that I was with Fl-1 DMAT I watched as they treated the firefighters working the lines. The food was bad, the climate was unbearably hot, and we slept on government cots with no air conditioning. I was hooked. I knew I wanted to be a part of something like that in my career.

            Several years later in my career I got my “Red Card” for wild land fire fighting. In 2002 I got my first “wild land” deployment with 20 other firefighters from around Florida. We were called to work in Colorado on the Hayman Fire. Our team spent twenty days out west and I learned volumes about the deployment world.

In total I have deployed on Two Wild Land Fire Details, Three Hurricane Deployments as a Logistics Co-ordinator for a Disaster Team, one Hurricane Deployment as an Engine Company Officer, and countless short term out of district deployments with a wild land task force.

 Although the three hurricane deployments were very different incidents, the

Task Force a different mission, and all different from the wild fire deployment to

Colorado, I did find several similarities. Things I learned at each deployment made the next less stressful. In the event that you may find yourself being deployed to a major event there are certain things you should know before departure, during the mission, and returning home that will ensure a more successful experience.

 

READ THE REST OF THIS ARITCLE:



Part A – Introduction

Part B – Pre Deployment

Part C – Deployment Phase

Part D – Returning Home

 

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By: Capt. Ryan G. Christen

 

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