Emergency Response & Preparedness
First There, No Matter Where
Because disaster can strike anywhere, anytime, the ability to respond even in the most remote areas of the world is essential for effective emergency response. And with the acute phase of disaster response measured in just hours –that brief window of opportunity when most lives can be saved and life-threatening disease contained—deployment speed is critical. With a roster of volunteer health care specialists on call, a well-trained, experienced global staff and supplies pre-positioned internationally, we have a well-earned reputation as a fast, reliable First Responder. Preparing communities in advance how best to respond to adversity on their own when disaster strikes is also important, creating a response capability that is immediate. It also fosters self-reliance.
Our Emergency Field Hospital Deployed in… Los Angeles?
We transformed a vacant lot at the foot of City Hall in downtown Los Angeles into the site of our Emergency Field Hospital simulation for a week-long crisis training. In a collaboration years in the making, International Medical Corps worked with volunteer supply chain and logistics experts from FedEx to modularize a 12-unit mobile Emergency Field Hospital so it can be deployed in small, medium or large-scale disasters.
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Overview
International Medical Corps’ staff is on the frontlines of the world’s most urgent crises. Our teams are at work inside Syria, where a seemingly endless civil war grinds through its seventh year while millions of Syrians have sought refuge in neighboring countries and beyond. Our teams also deliver medical relief and other support in African nations struggling with hunger and famine. All too often, decades of war make these places dangerous for residents to live and for us to operate.
Key Stats
Overview
For more than three decades, as soon as disaster strikes—no matter how distant or how dangerous the conditions– International Medical Corps has responded to assist those in urgent need. Our teams have saved millions of lives by delivering health care and other vital relief while at the same time training those affected so they acquire the skills needed to be their own best First Responders.
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Overview
We pass essential skills into local hands, preparing those in disaster-prone areas to better withstand adversity. Embedding these skills into the community lies at the heart of what we do: build self-reliance. In keeping with our commitment to preparedness, we also train our international and national staff, actively working to increase their technical understanding. We ensure our teams are trained across disciplines such as logistics, procurement and fleet management, so that they can respond to any emergency quickly, effectively and safely.
Key Stats
The Golden Hour: Training First Responders in Mosul
Douma Ammar will never forget the day. She was in her Mosul neighborhood when shots rang out. A stray bullet hit her friend, wounding her gravely. With no paramedics to call for help, Douma fought for her friend’s life alone, but eventually lost. “I didn’t know how to help,” Douma said, “My friend died.” Mosul—Iraq’s second largest city—has been at the forefront of the fight against the Islamic State, also known as ISIL—the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, or daesh in Arabic—for more than five months.
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