Disaster Response Responsibilities

EMSA's Director is the State Disaster Medical Services Coordinator, and is responsible for coordinating statewide disaster medical operations to support local needs (OES, 1989). According to the "State Emergency Plan," EMSA will: 1. Develop guidelines, policies, and plans which assist local jurisdictions and operational areas in developing effective disaster medical response plans. 2. Establish liaison with government and private sector medical and health agencies and organizations. 3. Coordinate the State's medical response to a disaster. 4. Gather data on impact of the disaster on the medical care system and provide this information to OES. 5. Provide technical advice and assistance to local response agencies. 6. Respond to requests for medical mutual aid from the regional disaster medical/health coordinators and operational area disaster medical health coordinators. 7. Coordinate the procurement and allocation of medical mutual aid resources obtained from outside the affected area. 8. Authorize emergency travel and related expenditures for public and private medical, allied health, and prehospital care personnel. 9. Coordinate the evacuation and tracking of injured persons to medical facilities outside the affected area. 10. Assist affected areas in restoring essential medical services following a disaster. 11. Assist the Department of Health Services in the maintenance and restoration of public and environmental health (OES, 1989, pp. D 10 - D 11). EMSA carries out these responsibilities through a regionalized state medical/health system, working closely with medical supply and pharmaceutical companies, and by requesting and coordinating assistance from various state and federal agencies such as OES, the California National Guard, US Public Health Service, and the Department of Defense.

Medical Care for the Injured

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