Disaster Response

In recent years the Commissioned Corps has been involved in:

• identifying and isolating the infectious agent responsible for the Hanta Virus in the American Southwest;
• providing and coordinating emergency services: at the Oklahoma City Federal Building Bombing ('95); during the Alaska ('94), California ('94-'95), Southeast ('94-'95), Midwest ('93-'94), Southwest ('92, '93-'94), Northern Plains States (’97) and Ohio (’98) Floods; following Hurricanes Hugo ('89), Iniki ('92), Andrew ('92) and Georges (’98); in the aftermath of the Loma Prieta ('89) and Northridge ('94) Earthquakes; following the Northeast ice storms (’98); for Kosovo refugees (’99).

Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Rita  

The Corps has been very visible in leading the recovery effort during the devastating 2005 hurricane season. Before Hurricanes Katrina and Rita made landfall, PHS Commissioned Corps officers and supplies were on the ground preparing for the oncoming disasters. With 1,050 USPHS officers deployed during Katrina, the Corps continued to set up and staff field hospitals and emergency medical clinics, treat sick and injured evacuees, conduct disease surveillance, and work closely with local and state health authorities after the hurricane to plan for long-term public health needs.

9/11

In the wake of 9/11, more than 1000 Corps officers were deployed to not only to aid victims, but also to provide health care and mental health services to rescue workers and responders. Dentists with forensic training were also deployed to aid the New York City Medical Examiner's office in identifying victims in the World Trade Center attack.

Since 9/11, the U.S. Health and Human Services has made significant progress in strengthening the nation’s public health infrastructure. Hospitals’ surge capacities have grown, new science to limit the dangers of bioterrorism has been created, and antidotes to deadly agents and other medical countermeasures have been produced and stockpiled. The Corps is attracting more health professionals to its ranks, enabling them to respond to disasters quickly and efficiently.