The Metropolitan Medical Response System National Leadership
Group is dedicated to research and education for all MMRS jurisdictions in the United States.
Even though FEMA decided not to continue to fund the MMRS program through the
US DHS Homeland Security Grant Program, the work of MMRS programs continues on
a daily basis, but the capabilities built since 1996 are in jeopardy and,
therefore, we are all at greater risk.
It
is commonly understood that all disasters, whether natural or intentional:
- Begin and end locally
- Regardless of cause, disasters
produce human casualties
These
two axioms serve as the basis for all medical and public health preparedness
efforts.
Other
than the Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS) program, all federal grant
programs designed to address the health and medical consequences of disasters
bring federal dollars down to the state level to support public health and medical
preparedness. These grant-funded programs rely on the individual states to be
astute enough to include local jurisdictions in the planning process.
Historically, however, the results of attempts at state to local cooperation
have been inconsistent at best.
With
an increase in terrorist attacks worldwide by 43% since 2012 (US State
Department) the significance of the MMRS can hardly be overstated.
Approximately 80% of the US population in metropolitan areas benefits from MMRS public health and
emergency medical preparedness measures, either directly or as a result of
collaborative local and sub-state regional planning efforts.
Federal
funding to the states often results in:
- Incomplete and largely
uncoordinated, disaster planning at the local level
- Less meaningful local impacts in
patient outcomes
In
contrast, MMRS, the oldest and most established of these programs, has been
unique from its inception. First and foremost, the MMRS program was designed
specifically to:
- Bring federal dollars to the
local level
- Ensure planning for the health
consequences of all disasters could be effectively developed where the
impact of disastrous events is felt the most
The
MMRS is not simply an abstract planning grant; the MMRS has been one of the few
Department of Homeland Security programs that have improved the human casualty
factor in disasters of any origin.
The
124 individual MMRS jurisdictions, first under contract with local
municipalities, and then according to federal grant requirements, were the
first to foster local and sub-state regional cooperation and collaboration
among local public health and medical stakeholders to ensure that local
response plans were comprehensive and inclusive. MMRS pioneering efforts
include:
- Bringing traditional emergency
response agencies (fire, police, EMS) to
the planning table along with hospitals, public health agencies,
behavioral health specialists and faith-based entities
- Developing plans for biological,
chemical, and radiological concerns, as well as for MCIs in general, that are
not specific to one agency, jurisdiction, or discipline, but are designed
to encourage all the players to work together.
- Specially designed support for diverse
organizations from the Red Cross to Bomb
Squads, which might not be available from any other granting agency
- Developing programs and standards
for Mass Decontamination
- ONLY program that supports EMS domestic preparedness and mass casualty response
- Integration of emergency medical
services with law enforcement for Active Shooter responses
- Bringing triage materials,
planning, training, and exercises under one grant program
The
MMRS program, when properly funded, has been the only program to put chemical
antidotes into the hands of first responders within seconds of a potential
exposure and without the inherent delay of the CHEMPACK program. As part of a
modest funding scheme of $320,000 per MMRS jurisdiction, over 10,000 first
responders and household family members can be protected with medical counter
measures. No other grant program includes this coverage aimed at "Protecting
the Protectors".
Through
distinct local application MMRS performance and effectiveness are not
determined by vague or excessively broad national standards trying to make one
size fit all. Instead the MMRS wisely uses federal grant dollars to support and
enhance local planning that best fit local needs. The results of MMRS program
investments have remained durable beyond the de-funding of the MMRS as a
stand-alone grant program, and the very diversity of the program’s impact at
the local level is to be celebrated rather than criticized.
Today,
the atmosphere of cooperation, collaboration and communication among medical
and public health stakeholders created by and supported through the MMRS
program largely continues in the communities that participated in the 124 MMRS
jurisdictions. However, it is reasonable to assume that, with the loss of MMRS
funding, continued planning for public health and medical services response to
disasters will occur at the state and federal level, and not appreciably at the
level of the local municipalities, where the planning is most needed and can be
most effective.
Specific
responses and support from the MMRS for real-world incidents include:
- Indianapolis stage collapse
- Medical response and coordination
Pima County, AZ; Gabby Giffords shooting
- Theater shootings, Aurora CO
- Tornados in Ohio,
Missouri, Kansas,
Massachusetts
- Hurricane Irene medical response,
NY, Northern New England
- Boston Marathon
bombing, Boston, MA
- Superstorm Sandy response, CT, NY, MA, NJ;
- Thousands of hours of work during
the 2009-10 H1N1 pandemic.