December 20, 2002

In the true spirit of the holiday season, a group of MGHers recently gave the ultimate gift when they were deployed to a region of the world that was struck by a super-typhoon. The MGH once again was called into action Dec. 10 to give aid in an international disaster as it activated its International Medical Surgical Response Team (IMSuRT).

Briggs, right, and her team prepare for deployment.

On Dec. 8, the Pacific island of Guam was nearly destroyed. With sustained winds of more than 150 mph, Typhoon Pongsana paralyzed the small island, wiped out much of the island's communications and water resources and heavily damaged Guam Memorial Hospital. After declaring the island a federal disaster area, President Bush activated the federal disaster response team – including the Boston team. The MGH-based team is supervised by Susan Briggs, MD, an MGH surgeon and supervising medical officer of the federal disaster teams. Briggs activated a team of 21 nurses and respiratory therapists, a physician and several paramedics – mostly MGHers – from the emergency response team, which is part of the IMSuRT and the Metro Boston Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT). Developed and directed by Briggs, IMSuRT is sponsored by the MGH. The group is the only disaster response team in the nation with specialized medical skills.

The primary function of IMSuRT and DMAT is to deploy a team of surgical, medical, nursing and other health care professionals at a moment's notice to aid in any kind of disaster. Formed in 1999, the MGH-based team also was called into action during the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001. They arrived at Ground Zero on the evening of Sept. 13 and provided medical care to victims, rescue workers and volunteers, providing much of the same kind of care they are providing in Guam.

"Disaster response is very much like patient care – you can't expect it, and you can't plan it. Disasters happen no matter what time of year it is, and we are ready to be called at a moment's notice," says Briggs.