In 1983 the President of the United States declared, by executive order, the formation of the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS). NDMS was to have two functions:
Representatives from the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA), the Defense Department (DoD), the Health and Human Services Department (DHHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) were tasked with the implementation of this Executive Order with DHHS as the lead agency.
In 1985 Dr. Paul Rega, while attending a conference, heard about the National Disaster Medical System and became interested in setting up a Toledo Area Disaster Medical Assistance Team. By 1986, representatives from some Toledo area hospitals started forming teams. Teams formed at St. Vincent Medical Center, St. Charles Hospital, The Toledo Hospital and Medical College Hospitals. During the years from 1990-1992 the Toledo Area DMATs became more organized and participated in several disaster drills and training exercises. In 1991, the original sponsor of the Toledo Area DMATs, the Regional Emergency Medical Services of Northwest Ohio (REMSNO) decided to drop sponsorship of the team after NW Ohio voters failed to renew the levy supporting the agency. In the fall of 1991, Churton Budd encouraged the Medical College of Ohio (MCO) and NDMS to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which established MCO as the local supporting agency of the Toledo Area DMAT. As a supporting agency, MCO agreed to assume sponsorship of the Toledo Area DMAT and provide a meeting place and administrative support of the Toledo Area DMAT. Although sponsored by MCO, it is recognized that the Toledo DMAT is composed of members of all four area hospitals and can only function with their continued support.
In August 1992, the Toledo DMAT was activated by NDMS and deployed with a 66 member complement to the South Miami Florida area to treat victims of Hurricane Andrew. The Toledo DMAT treated over 3000 victims at three sites during a 4 day medical mission, sent a medical sortie into the Everglades, provided administrative assistance and manpower to the NDMS Management Support Unit and provided medical assistance to the military at our site during the 10 day deployment. The Toledo DMAT was the only DMAT functioning during the Labor Day weekend 1992 in the disaster area.
In January 1994, the TADMAT was placed on alert to prepare for deployment of 15 persons (five, three person teams of MD's, RN's and EMTP's) to assist victims of the Northridge, California earthquake (01/17/94). The TADMAT was next to be activated for deployment, but was staged down when California Emergency Management officials decided that the response was being handled appropriately by local assets.
In August of 1995 the TADMAT was again activated and deployed to assist victims of Hurricane Marilyn in St. Thomas, USVI. The 38 member team deployed for 9 days and functioned in place of the Emergency Department of St. Thomas Hospital. The MA-1 team was co-located at the TADMAT site and the two teams provided round the clock emergency care to over 1500 victims in that one week. The TADMAT was rendering care 4 days after the hurricane hit the island.
In July and August of 1996, team members from the TADMAT deployed to the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia. Team members underwent hazardous materials training and readiness and learned skills necessary to respond in the event of a chemical or biological weapon of mass destruction. Fortunately, no team members were required to respond to an actual event but the deployment was considered a good mobilization and training exercise.