Hello to all. It has been a busy year in disaster response for the nations DMAT's. I am proud that a lot of you were able to deploy to some of our responses, whether it was for disaster response or primary care missions. It has been a busy hurricane season and our recent deployment to Hurricane Floyd brought about some topics for which I would like to touch on. First, everyone needs to know the location of our warehouse facility, Bill Vernay North American Van Lines. During our busiest times of trying to get deployed, a few people were calling to find out were the warehouse was located. We now have the location on our Fl-2 DMAT web site at : http://geocities.datacellar.net/hotsprings/7093

From now on, ALL personnel, no matter where you live, will be required to arrive at the warehouse at the designated time. This is to allow us to process and card all personnel and to issue your personal gear bags and equipment. Also, there is other work to be done to help get us out the door. The command staff will be introduced at this time so that we are all aware of who they are and their specific positions and functions. It is important that you understand that the command staff is an extension of me and when they have given specific orders upon deployment, they are to be followed as if I gave them directly. If there is a problem, carry out the orders as per requested and then the problem will be addressed and resolved as soon as possible afterwards.

Secondly, you are to show up at the warehouse in full DMAT field uniform, including black boots (as per the NDMS Uniform Code), ready for deployment. If you do not have uniforms yet, then blue jeans with black boots and the DMAT team uniform T-shirt will do. If you are not in full uniform, you will NOT be deployed, PERIOD. We are one of the most respected teams in the country for our professional appearance and it will stay that way. That means all jackets (if worn), will be buttoned correctly (sleeve blousing is optional), pants are to be bloused over the boots and the correct duty belt is to be worn. Federal ID cards are to be worn either on a neck chain or clipped to your uniform on the right pocket, closure. These ID's are to be worn conspicuously at all times and if lost or misplaced, let one of the command staff know of it immediately so that it can be attempted to be located and/or a temporary card produced. You cannot enter military installations without it and if inspected on base without it you could very well find yourself in the brig.

Once I have been notified by the NDMS/OEP in Washington, DC of our response status, you will receive a message on your pager advising you of it. There will be three response stages. The first will be an advisory level notification advising that we could be deployed to a particular disaster. Next, you will receive an alert level notification which means that there is a very good chance that we will be deployed and finally, you will receive an activation level notification that advises you that we have been requested to deploy within 8 to 12 hours, "or less". By this time, you should have contacted us per instructions and know whether you are deployable and have all of your arrangements met to deploy for 10 -14 days. It is important that you realize that the deployment is up to 14 days, because once in the field you are there for the duration unless demobilized earlier on by NDMS. Keep in mind that the administrative personnel for which you will be contacting is very busy and a simple yes or no for deployment is the only answer that we need. NO maybes, I'm not sure, and etc. will be acceptable. You are to bring the clothing, equipment and personal belongings listed on your personal gear list provided to you at the time of orientation to the team. If you do not have a list, contact Connie Bowles and she will see that you receive one. Do not ask this at the time of deployment! The gear you bring must fit into the duffel bag and ruck sack issued to you. Nothing else will be allowed so be conservative, but you should have more than enough room for all of your belongings. The military does it for months at a time or longer, I'm sure you can do it for two weeks!

As to other news of importance, we received our $8,000.00 dollars of yearly funding and bought various things to bring us up to speed including a fax,copier,printer,and scanner for deployment. More tentage equipment to help us operate better in the field. We have rebuilt and organized our equipment in new containers built by members of the team to which I would like to give a great big thanks to all of those people who invested their time for a worthwhile cause. You know who you are. Thanks again!

Just a brief mention of State vs. Federal deployments. In the future, the majority of our deployments will be federal with the State of Florida Disaster Response Unit in Tallahassee asking the Feds to prioritize the Florida teams on in state responses. The coverages federally are known and if a state activated deployment, we would be under state contract as a state employee and would be covered under the same workmen's comp and medical malpractice coverage's.

As to training, we had to cancel most of the scheduled training in the recent past due to the large volume of disaster responses, but will be contacting everyone soon of the new 2000 year training schedule. We are also looking for an aggressive training instructor to come onboard with the command staff. Anyone with knowledge of someone with energy and experience please contact Connie or myself with information.

I will close for now and would like to end by saying to each and every member on this team. YOU DO ME PROUD. Keep up the great work and stay safe. Gary

Questions??? Call or email

Unit Commander-Gary home 458-0112- pager 335-8861

LindberghG@aol.com

Enclosed you will find a copy of a letter that was sent out to all NDMS teams placing them on alert status for yr 2000. The executive thought it might be helpful to send to each member who can in turn give to their employer- ( and if by chance we were called out) it might help the members get coverage for the deployment.

A look at the latest events:

April 24 and 25th was the Family Campout/Sleep Over at Jaycee Park of Cape Coral.. If you missed it you missed a super weekend of fun, good cookout and visiting with other neat members on the team. .

May 8-12 was the annual National Disaster Medical System Conference held in Wash. DC. Unit Commander Gary Lindbergh , Admin Connie Bowles, and Communication Specialist Mike Spainhower attended. Gary and Connie attended mandatory administration classes for two days. NDMS has done a wonderful job of creating a new personnel handbook that has all the forms, guidelines and information in it. This is a large book and heavy book haha . Also each team was given 4 other handbooks on speciality teams, etc. Mike attended Communication classes and obtained a lot of valuable knowledge and information.

Audrey Seay (who was chosen as the distinguished member of FL 2 DMAT for 1998 was not present at the conference to receive her certificate of appreciation and pin. We presented these to Audrey at the next executive meeting in Port Charlotte. A nice article and a "pinning" picture was printed in the Sun Herald Pt. Charlotte Newspaper. For those of you unfamiliar with Audrey Seay- she created our team in 1989, put in many years of hard work and just retired last year.

Several FL 2 DMAT Members worked with "Operation Provide Refuge" to the Albanians in Ft Dix, N.J. The first 3 deployed May 16- Joyce Mason- Supervisor Clinical Nurse, Rich Whitehurst, Supervisor Clinical Nurse, and Julie Kszych, RN. May 22- David Ballestas, MD, Joann Bishop, ARNP and Connie Bowles, RN departed. Last team out was Gary Lindbergh, Paramedic and Mike Spainhower, Paramedic. All experienced a unique opportunity to provide medical screening and treatment to the Albanians (many of whom had never received any medical care).

FL 2 DMAT (augmented by FL3 (Tampa) personnel) deployed to Hurricane Floyd Sept 14-17. We departed on the 14^th at 1800. The first night we were staged at Tampa and slept in our sleeping bags at a clinic. As the Hurricane moved so did we- upward to Ft Gordon, Georgia where we stayed on cots for 2 nights in barracks. Luckily for the area hit, the DMAT units were not needed and were demobilized without a mission. Although we did not provide care to patients-every time we go out the door it is a great opportunity to brush up our deployment tactics. It gives us information about how well the alpha numeric pager call up went. It gives us an opportunity to get to know our own team members (esp. the new people) and to network with our neighbor DMAT- FL 3.

Members deployed:

Unit Commander- Gary Lindbergh, Admin- Connie Bowles, RN, Deputy U.C.- Bill Bishop, Commo- Mike Spainhower, Commo Assist- Mike Gorgas, Logistics- Ed Lyne, Physicians- David Ballestas, MD and Bob Fishman, MD, Sup Clinical Nurse -RN & Admin Assist -Joyce Mason, RN & Night Supervisor-Barb Goodwin, RN , CISM-Noel Holdsworth, ARNP, RN-Julie Ksyzch, Sup. Clinical Nurse-RN- Ginny Shelton,

LPN- Donna Ogilvie, Logistics Assist Rich Holdsworth, Lead Paramedic- Robert Hendrickson, , Paramedic- Angela Dunaway, EMT-B-Daniel Rembish EMT-Susanne Hastings, EMT- Wendy Norman, Nurse Assist- Janet Mescher. Bill Vernay American Van Lines provided the semi and driver- Bill Wilson. Thank you to all!!!

Don’t unpack your DMAT supplies yet. Nov is FL 2 DMAT’s month for 1^st out the door for the East Coast.

Special Assignments:

Two of our Nurses are on special assignment working with NDMS with the aftermath problems of Hurricane Floyd. Joyce Mason, RN is stationed in Raleigh, N.C. and working in the office with the DFO (Disaster Field Operation). Ginny Shelton, RN is stationed in Tarbo, N.C. working with DMORTs (Disaster Morticians) and VMATs

(Veterinary teams).

Pagers: If you have not taken care of obtaining an alpha numeric pager you need to do so ASAP- we have a nice contract with Metrocall 1-800-791-2337

11356 S. Cleveland Ave. Ft Myers. This is a requirement to be on the team. If you have their pager already and are having problems with receiving pages, etc please call them- placing calls to the executive personnel cannot help you- you will be referred to the company. However, with other questions about paging, etc you can contact Mike Spainhower the communication specialist home1-941-731-6612 , pager 335-5195. If you know people who are interested in this field of radio and satellite communication please pass their name to Mike-this person does not have to have medical experience.

If you need to order T-Shirts please contact Barb Goodwin-home 1-941-481-5706 or pager 335-5177. She will request payment prior to placing the order since in the past we have been stuck with members ordering and then leaving the area.

This is your team- a team is made up of members- we have work that needs to be done to keep the team alive. That means we need each of you to invest some time and effort and not just walk out the door with us during the deployment. It takes hundreds of hours for the executive team to keep the paperwork active with the Feds, to build and repack our supplies, to attend functions and recruit people to join the team. We are constantly having orientation classes and with small turnouts. Please recruit for your team.

Please get involved. I hear comments about how the team should do this, that, etc and "the team" is you too- so volunteer to take that task on.

If interested in helping with logistics and the warehouse maintenance of our equipment please contact Supply Management Officer Ed Lyne at 1-941-766-0370 or 1-941-993-2662 and pager 941-336-1549.

Several Orientation classes were held this year so please welcome the new FL 2 DMAT Members: Alex Wasa -Paramedic, Thad Stevens- EMT, Richard Bailey-RN, Ann Kippenberger-RN (Psych), Todd Soard- Paramedic, Ginny Shelton, RN, Diane St. Pierre- ARNP, Jim Wilcox-EMT, Enrique Ochoa-Dentist, Robert Fishman-MD, Judy Sitarz-Assistant, Virginia White-Assistant, Michelle Dean-LPN, Stanley Golembieski -Logistics, Robyn Taylor-Nurse Assist/Tech., John Masters-Communication, David Stokes-Paramedic, Joy Block-Nurse Assist/EMT pending, Rebekah Guy- Nurse Assist /Tech, Virginia Booth and John Egan- Home support team.

Thank you for being a member of FL 2 DMAT

Newsletter by Connie Bowles, RN, BSN, CEN

FL 2 DMAT Administrator

Questions ????

Call or email

Home 1-941-549-7893-pager 1-941-335-8860

CLBowles@aol.com