Oregon Disaster Medical Team Deploys to Gulf Coast

Oregon residents respond to another national disaster, one that nearly marks the anniversary date of Hurricane Katrina.

(PORTLAND) - Members of the Oregon Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) will leave Oregon for the Gulf Coast region Tuesday, Aug. 29th, at 8:00 AM from Portland International Airport.

Oregon DMAT will join other federal disaster medical teams preparing to assist in the response effort to Hurricane Ernesto. Eight team members are from Oregon Health & Science University.

Tuesday, Aug. 29th, is one year to the day that many of the team members pre-deployed to the Gulf Coast in response to Hurricane Katrina.

"Our team will assemble with other national disaster medical teams, ready to support the people of Florida or other areas of the Gulf Coast impacted by Hurrican Ernesto," said Helen Miller, M.D., Oregon DMAT team leader and pediatric emergency medicine physician, OHSU.

Miller is one of six members to fly out of Eugene Aiport at 6:00 AM Others will leave from aiports around the state.

Oregon Disaster Medical Team comprises health care professionals from Oregon and southwest Washington who serve in the National Disaster Medical System. The NDMS is a federally coordinated system that augments the nation's emergency medical response capacity.

Oregon Disaster Medical Assistance Team members set to respond this week include:

Jaime Baxter, Salem David Cary, Redmond Tom Cronin, Hillsboro Gisele Garrity, Cheshire Marcia Gilson, Philomath Colleen Grunow, Brush Prairie Jon Jui, Wilsonville Anita Katz, Portland Dan Kearl, Philomath Bobbie-Jo Lawrence, Walla Walla Claire Lawrence, Portland Peter Mackwell, Hood River Joni Marcher, Vancouver Susie McCray, Springfield Helen Miller, Eugene Tom Misner, Tolovana Beach Melina Moran, Portland Steve Myren, Boardman Peggy Peirson, Philomath Jeff Pricher, Cascade Locks Peggy Roberti, Tolovana Beach Lewis Rubinson, Bend Julie Salmon, Oregon City Sean Shanahan, Vancouver Colin Smith, Summer Lake Teri Schmidt, Portland Robin Scholtz, Coos Bay Bob Sokolow, Portland Eric Stroud, Salem Janie Swift, Vancouver Jamie Tabandera, Clackamas Charles Valencia, Seattle Bruce Waite, Newport Betty Walls, Aloha Rhonda Wood, Salem Melitta Zollner, Portland.