How IMR Responds

MEDICAL DISASTER RELIEF VOLUNTEERS

International Medical Relief provides medical mission trips to disaster relief areas to allow volunteers the opportunity to put their compassion into action to help survivors impacted by disasters around the world. Providing critical urgent needs in the immediate aftermath of a disaster is critical to ease the suffering caused in these situations.  IMR supports a philosophy if First In – Last Out – our goal is to get a team on the ground within the first week of a disaster.

YOU CAN BECOME A DISASTER RELIEF VOLUNTEER

IMR is currently mobilizing Medical Disaster Relief Volunteers who want to be considered first responders when devastation strikes. We need your help.  If you would like to be considered as part an International Disaster Response Volunteer to help in future efforts email us for a Disaster Relief Application.

IMR ensures that your medical skills will be utilized in an efficient manner.  We organize our disaster efforts with NGO partners and collaborate with organizations to provide efficient and effective response when a crisis strikes.  By becoming an IMR Medical Disaster Relief Volunteer you will be put into action on the ground with our network that is mobilizing with the official disaster relief response.  We organize and navigate the situation on the ground so you can do what you do best, give you’re your time and skills.

IMR’s PHASED STRUCTURE:  We recruit medical relief teams in waves according to the needs of the people in a community after disaster strikes.  We mobilize our volunteers based on their skill set as it relates to the urgency of the victims.

PHASE ONE – FIRST RESPONDERS

Our immediate responders are surgical and orthopedic volunteers, urgent care providers, and wound care specialists, that can help with immediate patient stabilization.  We also bring in psychiatric care for posttraumatic stress disorder, grieving, loss of life and consultation on other traumatic issues facing disaster victims. Immediate disaster also include general family practice and internal medicine providers, mid level practitioners, as well as nonmedical volunteers for coordination, set up and communication.  Our community health education focus initially concentrates on obtaining safe and secure areas for living if people are displaced as well as clean water solutions, accessing shelter/water/medical and other assistance programs that may bee available to the communities.

PHASE TWO – ACTIVE OPERATIONS

In IMR’s second phase our volunteers have been prepared and are actively working in general medicine in the field.  Providers of all types are utilized.

RECOVERY

International Medical Relief continues to send in volunteer medical responders and begins to create a long term strategic plan based on the  health and medical needs of the community.  This may include treating general community health, prevention and education, long term and chronic health conditions, health and psychological assessment post disaster, and long range follow up clinics.

DISASTERS WE HAVE SUPPORTED

International Medical Relief volunteers have responded to the following disasters:  Haiti Earthquake, Chile Earthquake, Philippines flooding, Indonesia Tsunami, Myanmar Cyclone Nargis, China Earthquake, Hurricane Katrina, and Hurricane Mitch.