Planning for medical support of disasters

Disaster health care plans require that planners consider personnel, equipment, supplies (including pharmaceuticals), and logistical support for transportation, food, water, and resupply. The authors believe that military Table of Organization and Equipment (TOE) hospitals have the potential to be invaluable sources of personnel, equipment, and supplies. They recommend that TOE organizations plan Military Mobilization Teams (MMTs) that are lightweight, rapidly deployable, and easily supported. In addition, MMTs can serve as the advance party units around which more complex health care organizations can be developed. The same MTTs have potential military uses such as mobilization in stages.