Emergency Medical Task Force 4 (EMTF4)

About Emergency Medical Task Force 4 (EMTF4)

The Emergency Medical Task Force (EMTF) is a State and Federally (TXDSHS, ASPR) funded program with the mission of creating State-deployable medical teams, regionalized for rapid mobilization and readiness. The goal of the EMTF program is to provide a well coordinated response, offering rapid professional medical assistance to emergency operation systems during large scale incidents. Immediately available resources include AMBUSes (sixteen strategically located across Texas; one in EMTF4), Mobile Medical Units, Ambulance Strike Teams (hundreds of units across Texas), RN Strike Teams, Medical Incident Support Teams and Staging Management Teams. Eight (8) full-time Regional Coordinators and one (1) State Program Manager assure emergency resources are immediately available across Texas. Other components of the EMTF program include TMART (Mass Fatality Operations Response Team), IDRU (Infectious disease Response Unit), Air Medical Strike Teams, wildland Fire & Support Teams, and Tactical Medic Support Unit. The Texas EMTF is part of the Texas Disaster Medical System and EMTF4 Region is managed by SETRAC.

EMTF4 Documents

EMTF4 Documents (still in review)

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EMTF Training

ASTL (2-day course)

This course will train EMS personnel in leadership or management positions to serve in the role of Ambulance Strike Team leaders. Participants will be taught to prepare for, respond to, and recover from significant events while functioning in a supervisory role over trained personnel operating ambulances, integrating with the National Incident Management System.

ASM (2-day course)

The Ambulance Staging Manager (ASM) Program began in 2009 following the Hurricane Season of 2008. This course has been developed by leaders and responders using lessons learned during statewide responses in Texas as well as regional responses and incidents nationwide. Our tabletop exercise training concept brings a measure of realism and stress to this hands-on course.

M-IST (2-day course)

The Medical Incident Support Team (M-IST) course is designed to train acute healthcare leadership to provide support to local jurisdictions, healthcare facilities and local health care infrastructure during disasters across the state of Texas. M-IST personnel deploy to impacted EOCs, Medical Operations Centers, and DDCs to provide integrated ESF-8 support to authorities, government agencies, hospitals, and state response partners during events or incidents.

EMTF Components

Ambulance Strike Team

When activated, each task force will be able to engage up to 25 ambulances (5 Strike Teams) for deployment either regionally or on a statewide mission.
Capabilities

  • Each Strike Team has assigned Strike Team Leader
  • Teams are pre-identified
  • Ready for a No Notice Regional deployment
  • Ready for a State-wide tasked mission assignment
  • FEMA Typing vs. Texas Typing
  • Common Communications

Multi-Passenger Vehicle (AMBUS)

The primary mission is to provide advanced medical transport and evacuation services for large-scale disasters.

Mobile Medical Unit

The MMU can provide acute or emergent care level of services and/or bed capacity for hospital relief. The staffing, supplies, and equipment of an MMU may be adjusted to provide appropriate levels of care. In some instances when staffing, supplies, and infrastructure permit, the MMU may be configured to provide emergency intervention. MMU staffing includes doctors, nurses, paramedics, pharmacists, logistics, comms/IT, techs and clerks. The scope of care for such a configuration includes:

  • Nursing care for stabilized internal medicine, trauma, orthopedic, and obstetric patients
  • Medical workups and examinations;
  • Nursing care for special needs patients
  • Ability to provide care for a variety of acuity levels while providing treatment, transfer or discharge
  • Preparation for transport for patients who require transfer to hospitals
  • Administration of intravenous medications and drips
  • Minimal short-term cardiac monitoring
  • Minimal short-term ventilator support
  • The MMU does not provide surgical services

Registered Nurse Strike Team

These groups of specialized nurses may be deployed during State tasked assignments to assist an over-taxed medical facility. These nurses will be deployed into hospitals to provide care as they would if they were at their sponsoring agency.

Capabilities

  • 5 RN’s in each Strike Team (25 total RN’s)
  • Each Team has pre-assigned Strike Team Leader
  • ER Strike Teams
  • 1 Specialty area (Burn, OB, ICU, Pedi, NICU, etc)
  • Approx. 72 hr deployment