[Itaewon Disaster] Emergency Deployment to Accident Site... 'National Disaster Medical Support Team' Worked Overnight on Rescue Efforts

Classification of Critical Patients, Emergency Treatment, Transport, etc.
Professional Life-Saving Role at Disaster Sites

In the early morning of the 30th, medical personnel from the Disaster Medical Support Team dispatched to the scene are conducting rescue operations for the injured.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwanju] In the early morning of the 30th, at the Itaewon disaster site where 151 people died (as of 10:20 AM), many people sweated to save even one more life. Not only firefighters and police but also citizens capable of performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) joined forces. In particular, 15 teams of the Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT), which conducts life-saving activities at large-scale emergency medical sites, were deployed.

The Disaster Medical Assistance Teams deployed to this disaster site belong to 14 metropolitan disaster base hospitals, including two teams from Seoul National University Hospital, as well as Hanyang University Hospital, Gangdong Kyung Hee University Hospital, Ewha Mokdong Hospital, Korea University Anam Hospital, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul Medical Center, Bundang CHA Hospital, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, Uijeongbu St. Mary's Hospital, Bundang Seoul National University Hospital, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Myongji Hospital, and Ajou University Hospital.

The Disaster Medical Assistance Teams at the accident site assessed patients' conditions and promptly provided emergency treatment. Depending on the severity of the patients' conditions, they arranged for immediate transfer to nearby hospitals after treatment.

Typically, a Disaster Medical Assistance Team consists of 3 to 4 members, including doctors, nurses, and emergency medical technicians. They are organized on a standing basis to be dispatched immediately to the scene in case of large-scale accidents occurring in each region. Disaster base hospitals refer to medical institutions designated as regional emergency medical centers that are capable of dispatching Disaster Medical Assistance Teams when large-scale disasters occur and have beds and equipment prepared to accommodate many patients.

The Disaster Medical Assistance Teams prioritize treatment based on the severity of patients rescued at the accident site and perform essential emergency care on-site. They also check bed availability at nearby emergency medical institutions and select the optimal hospital for treatment and transfer.

The Disaster Medical Assistance Teams play a vital role in saving precious lives by being deployed to sites of large-scale casualties. During the 2018 Milyang nursing hospital fire, which caused massive casualties, they set up an on-site emergency medical center and provided rapid emergency treatment. Recently, they did their best to save even one more life through prompt treatment and transfer at the accident site in Pohang, Gyeongbuk, which was damaged by Typhoon Hinnamnor.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.