Team Resume & Press Information

DMAT San Diego CA-4

8580 Spectrum Lane, Suite #2

San Diego, CA 92121

eMail Address: ijacoby@ucsd.edu

Team History

DMAT San Diego CA-4 is a non-profit 501(c)3 corporation, EIN# 33-0814611. It is a public benefit corporation, registered  with the Registry of Charitable Trusts, State of California, Certificate number CT-114861.

History: Date of creation:  A  Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between UCSD Medical Center, in conjunction with the Naval Hospital of San Diego (The Federal Coordination Center, San Diego Region),  and the National Disaster Medical System, was signed July 19, 1991 and created the California-4 Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT CA-4).

Signers: Michael Stringer, Director of Hospitals and Clinics, UCSD Medical Center, and Tom Reutersham, Director, NDMS.  Founding Team Commander: Irving “Jake” Jacoby, MD. 

A new MOU was signed on May 17, 1999, with International Relief Teams as a third sponsor, and merging DMAT CA-8, a public health specialty team formerly sponsored by International Relief Teams, into CA-4. Signers were Sumiyo Kastelic, Director of Hospitals, UCSD Medical  Center, and  Barry La Forgia, Director of International Relief Teams.  

Following the passage of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), Public Law No. 109-417, the National Disaster Medical System was moved from the Dept of Homeland Security back to the Dept. of Health and Human Services, and team members were recategorized as Special Government Employees,        under the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), and the conclusion was that sponsors were no longer needed for the teams. The belief was that teams could function completely with support from NDMS, and did not need any other resources.  In our opinion, that has not been successful, and DMAT San Diego CA-4, Inc., our non-profit organization, continues as a  local resource, whose mission is to further local disaster preparedness and disaster responder training.  As equipment from other activities, including state response and training, were added to the team’s cache, the non-profit supports the maintenance and storage of this and other equipment and suppplies. 

Original Co-Sponsors:  UCSD Medical Center, 200 West Arbor Drive, San Diego, California 92103 (1991-present) and International Relief Teams, 4560 Alvarado Canyon Road, Suite 2G, SanDiego, CA 92120-4309 (1991-2006). 

Operations Center:   Address: 8580 Spectrum Lane, Suite #2, San Diego, CA 92121. 

Federal Activations, Team Responses

1. Northridge Earthquake, Northridge, CA January 17, 1994.

26 person team activated missions and sites:   Staff relief at  Granada Hills Community Hospital, Emergency Dept and Labor and Delivery, Jan 18-21, 1994.  Outpatient clinic for homeless at the Mid-Valley Comprehensive  Health Clinic,  which was assessed by our team  as unoccupiable, Van Nuys, CA, Jan 21-22, 1994.

 2. Centennial Summer Olympics, Atlanta, GA,  Dobbins Air Force Base, Georgia: July-August, 1996.

Four 5-person strike teams responded each for week-long deployments, as a pre-staging event. One strike team deployed with FBI following the bombing in the Centennial Park area, during secondary device search. Ongoing training in chemical and biological warfare responses with US Army. July-August, 1996.

3. Northern California  Floods, Yuba County, CA:  January 1-2, 1997.

Team of 25 was activated and deployed to Los Alamitos,  response cancelled while enroute,  during aircraft loading at Los Alamitos National Guard Base, CA.

 4. Grand Forks, North Dakota Flood/Red River of the North: April 20-28, 1997. 

Flooding caused evacuation of almost entire city of Grand Forks (48,000 evacuees). Response missions and sites: First Aid Station, Three Bays Hangar-Shelter;  Augmentation, Emergency Dept., both at Grand Forks Air Force Base (GFAFB) Hospital;  “Sick Bay” for Disaster Workers, Nathan F. Twining Middle School, GFAFB, Grand Forks, ND; Hospital staff relief and augmentation, Towner County Medical Center, Cando, North Dakota. April 20-28, 1997. One team member cited for life-saving interventions for a seizing, septic infant outside of normal operations.

5. Hurricane Georges:  September 26, 1998 to October 11, 1998.

Two separate missions: Response missions and sites:  Full team pre-staging at Barksdale Air Force Base, Shreveport, Louisiana, Sept 26-30, 1998; team returned home. Second mission:  9 members performed hospital and EMS Staff Relief, Governor Juan F. Luis Hospital Medical Center, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands, October 2-11, 1998.

6.  Hurricane Bret: August 22-24, 1999.  

Team prestaged in San Antonio, Texas for Category 4 storm in the Gulf, threatening Corpus Christi, TX. Storm went ashore in unpopulated areas of southern Texas,  no medical missions requested by state, and team was  demobilized.

 7. U.S. PHS Region X Deployment Exercise in conjunction with the World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference: November 27-December 4, 1999.

Team participated in a week long exercise, with WA-1, CA-6, and the West Coast NMRT; scheduled Strike Teams for assignment with FBI, and remained pre-staged for possible civil unrest or WMD events during the WTO Conference.

  8. Democratic National Convention: August 12-18, 2000.

Team contributed 12 members to a statewide DMAT deployed to Los Angeles for establishment of pre-staged Federal response during DNC.

9. World Trade Center Terrorist Attacks of September 11th, New York City: September thru November, 2001.                

Team deployed a total of 26 members at various times: 1 member worked with the NDMS Mission Support Team September 22 to October 4, 2001 as a communications officer. 3 members augmented the CA-2 DMAT deployed Sept 23 to October  3, 2001 at Ground Zero clinics.. 2 members deployed October 20 to November 2, 2001 to  assist in the NYC Medical Examiner’s Office and the DMORT deployment. A team of 20 CA-4 members deployed to participate in the deployment at Ground Zero, from Nov 13 to 21, 2001, caring for injured and ill recovery workers, disaster responders, and other workers at Ground Zero. DMAT  completed the  Federal operations at the site.

10. Salt Lake City 2002 Winter Olympics: February 17 to February 25, 2002.

One Medical Strike Team of 5 members were deployed to Salt Lake City, UT  Feb. 5th to Feb. 16, 2002 as part of the Federal pre-staging response for the Olympics. Team based in SLC, with three days of coverage for Snowbasin venue events at Hill Air Force Base, UT. 1 communications officer deployed to MST Feb. 17 to 25, 2002.

11. Super Typhoon Pongsona, Guam: December 9, 2002.

Category 5 storm that caused major infrastructure damage to Guam Memorial Hospital, which was unable to provide emergency services. Team of 32 was activated on Dec.9, 2002, loaded cargo aircraft, Dec 11th, and departed San Diego early Thursday, Dec. 12, 2002, arrived in Guam Dec. 13th. Set up a Health Care Clinic in a tent at the Micronesia Mall. In 7 days of activities, saw 933 patients, and filled  over 1,000 prescriptions., had over 30 critical care transports. 1 pharmacist augmented the Ohio -1 DMAT on southern side of the island. Team augmented by 5 persons from MA-1 IMSURT. Returned Dec 23, 2002.

12. Hurricane Dennis:  July 8 thru July 13, 2005.

Category 3 storm that came ashore at Pensacola, FL. Team of 33 was prestaged at Meridian Naval Air Station, Meridian,  MS. Activated 7/8/05 at 1300 hours PDT, flew to Memphis, TN on 7/9/05, overnighted there, then proceeded by bus to Jackson, MS, cars rented and driven to Meridian NAS. 5 other members joined team via direct flight from SD to Jackson, MS on 7/10. Cache was from MO-1 DMAT, 13 persons from their team also staged with us. No mission assignment for our team and we were demobilized late on July 12, flight  home on July 13, 2005.  

 13. Hurricane Katrina: August 29 thru September 9, 2005.

Category 4 storm that came ashore between New Orleans and Biloxi, MS, morning of August 29, 2005, causing  break in levees holding back Lake Pontchartrain. Extensive flooding of 90% of City of New Orleans. Team was activated as pre-staging event on 8/28/05, logistics group of 6 departed SD in trucks with cache, and rest of team of 30 departed to Houston 8/29/05, traveled to Baton Rouge and assigned night of 8/30 to New Orleans Airport,  arrived 0300 hours and along with WA-1 and TX-3 DMATs, set up triage, treatment and medevac site at Airport. Airport operation saw >3,000 medical patients by morning of 9/7/05. Team demobilized on 9/8 and arrived home in San Diego on 9/9/05.  3 members extended deployment, 4 more deployed;  and 6 of those 7 worked at West Jefferson Medical Center until 9/28/05. Additional member deployed for Tropical Storm Ophelia during this deployment. Additonal rotations for 2 MDs, 1 PA and 4 Pharmacists to: Belle Chasse, LA , St Bernard Island Refinery,  and Challmette, LA. One member  of team augmented Strike team for 2 days to Cameron, LA.

14. Tropical Storm Ernesto: August 28 thru September 1, 2006.

Team of 33 members deployed for pre-staging mission, to Atlanta, GA.  No mission assignments, as  storm, which did transiently become a hurricane, changed course and did not enter the Gulf of Mexico from the Carribean,  but instead became disorganized after striking Haitii and Cuba, unable to strengthen prior to landfall in Florida;  then emerged into Atlantic, came ashore in North Carolina as tropical storm.  Cache ordered to travel by flatbed trucks, some damage occurred during shipment east, had to go to Frederick, MD for rehabbing, returned mid-September, 2006. 

 15. San Diego Wildfires 2007: October 24 to November 7, 2007.

Six logistics personnel designated as truck drivers activated to evacuate our Warehouse/Operations Center, relocated 3 trucks to safer site.  Team of 40 rostered for use in Wildfire. Then same 6 were activated as Logistics Support Unit, to utilize the DMAT CA-4 cache to support two other DMATs from out of state which were activated and on Oct 24 and arrived Oct 25th, CA-1 cache also arrived from Orange County. Initially separate, but were co-located at DMAT Ops Center, and supplies used to support multiple medical evaluation teams deployed to tribal clinics and shelters to perform medical assessments. One pharmacy position, and one pharmacy technician position were also activated to pull expired drugs out of the cache and replace with newer drugs resupplied. Total of 13 members activated on rotating schedule.  

 16. Hurricanes Gustav and Ike: August 2008.

Initial deployment pre-staged full team in Atlanta, GA, to prepare for Hurricane Ike striking Florida. After Ike threat passed, team was given a second mission, and deployed to Houma, LA to relive OR-2 DMAT which had set up a Patient Treatment site and was due to rotate home. After 12 hours, Hurricane Warnings were issued by the NHC, and the team then had to take down the  Base of Operations (BoO) and evacuate to New Orleans, as Hurricane Ike, which had now entered the Gulf, was about to come ashore. After Ike passed, the site in Houma was flooded and the team could not return. The  team was then redeployed for a Hurricane Ike Hospital augmentation mission to Christus St. Patrick Hospital, Lake Charles, LA, which saw increased utilization as a previously evacuated area from Hurricane Ike was repopulating, as the only one of 3 hospitals to reopen. Patients seen for 5 days, then team demobilized and was retruned home. 

17. Hurricane Sandy: October 30-November 12, 2012.

Placed on ALERT October 29, 2012, as Hurricane Sandy approached  New Jersey coast. Deployed 46 person team to staging area, SUNY Maritime College, Bronx, NY, billeted on USTS Empire State VI for 3 nights. Then assigned mission at Nassau County Community College, Garden City, Long Island, NY, on Nov. 3rd, to support medical needs at an American Red Cross General Population Shelter with 1,200 beds, at the Gym, and an expandable 120 bed Special Needs Shelter in an adjacent site on campus. A Norovirus outbreak was identified and managed, with up to 33 patients and family members isolated. 

18. Hurricane Harvey: August 24- September 11, 2017.

Placed on Alert and activated 2 hours later. Deployed 47 personnel. Pre-staged in Dallas, TX, then bussed to Houston, TX; provided medical care in a modified 3-tent BoO which we set up inside the NRG Arena, managing higher level acuity patients  needing labs, longer observations, referred from 2 clinics operating in the NRG Center (one by Harris County Health Dept and a second by the State Medical Society), adjacent to the Federal Medical Station which was set up in the NRG Arena. Saw  and made dispositions on 110 patients.

19. Typhoon MangkhutSeptember 8 to September 12, 2018.

Team of 34 activated and deployed for typhoon, to Guam.   Part of team flew Seattle to Incheon, So. Korea to Guam; part of team flew ATL to Seoul, So. Korea, and only able to get to Guam after storrm; remainder of team, flown via Honolulu, also got to Guam after storm.  Potential mission to Saipan, for HMTF only, rest of team demobilized; mission to Saipan did not materialize, remainder of team demobilized and sent home.

20.  Hurricane Dorian: August 30 to September 7, 2019.

Deployment to Florida, 2 HMTF-14 teams to Florida with potential for further deployment to the Bahama Islands, which did not materialize. 28 personnel deployed, various sites. 

21. Grand Princess Cruise Ship/Corona virus symptom screening & debarkation: March 6 to March 20, 2020.

Full team deployment. Did on-board passenger screening at sea by 16 team members to determine sickest passengers for priority disembarkation upon arrival in Port of Oakland, and obtain info for CMO. Screened debarking passengers for 5 days in Oakland. Then transferred to Travis AFB, Fairfield, CA to support  ongoing  COVID-19 passenger quarantine of 870 cruise ship passengers for another week.

22.  COVID-19 Hospital Support/Assistance Mission, Summit Regional Medical Center, Show Low, AZ:  July 5 to July 18, 2020.

HMTF-14  deployed to augment afflicted staff to take care of surge of COVID-19 patients.

23. COVID-19 Hospital Support/Assistance Mission, Aspirus Medford Hospital, Medford, Wisconsin: November 11-25, 2020.

Team of 21 formed up as an HMTF, deployed to Wausau, WI, for 1 day of fit testing, and EMR training & orientation at Aspirus Wausau Hospital, then moved to Medford, augmented the Aspirus Medford Hospital Med-Surg and Augmentation Wards, supplied care 24/7, including coverage of 2 ICU and 1 supplementary ICU bed. Paramedics worked in the ER and on the ward.

24. SARS CoV-2 Vaccination Team Deployment Milwaukee, WI: March 14 to 27, 2021.

Twenty one person team [1 MD, 4RNs, 3NPs, 1 Pharmacist, 4 Paramedics, 1 Safety Officer, 1 DTL),  provided Vaccines at Milwaukee Center VAX Site. Over  10,000 shots given.

25. COVID-19 Hospital Support/Assistance Mission, Parkland Medical Center, Pueblo, CO: November  , 2021. 

Fourteen person HMTF deployed to staff a 16-bed medical ward.

Federal Activations, Individual Personnel,  Strike Team HMTF (Health & Medical Task Force) Responses:

1. Operation Provide Refuge: Provision of health care to Kosovo refugees, Ft. Dix, New Jersey. Individual personnel only ( 1 MD, 1 Paramedic, 1 Medical Officer for MST). June-July, 1999.

2. Alaska Airlines Flight #261 Crash, off Point Mugu, CA, February 29, 2000. Response site at Port Huaneme Navy Base, CA. Individual personnel activated and deployed in support of MST and DMORT operations, February-March, 2000.         (2 RN, 1 EMT, 1 Communications Officer)

 3. Tropical Storm Allison: Houston, TX. June, 2001. One RN deployed to augment a team at Trauma Center, following severe flooding in Houston, TX.         

 4. Avian Influenza Epizootic: Harrisonburg, Virginia, May through August, 2002. 6 EMTs deployed to support VMAT as veterinary technicians, culling poultry and counseling farm personnel.

 5. Hurricane Ivan, Southeastern US. 4 team members deployed individually either with FEMA or with MST, November, 2004.

 6. Hurricane Rita, Texas. 7 members of DMAT CA-4 deployed as part of the National Veterinary Response Team ( NVRT-4). 

 7. Hurricanes Irma/Maria, Florida, Puerto Rico and USVI. 23 members of DMAT CA-4 deployed  in numbers from 1 to 6 as backfills of multiple teams, to multiple sites, with missions to Orlando, FL and South Florida from staging in Atlanta.  6 members deployed with DMAT CO-3, including DPTY CDR Therese Rymer as Acting Team CDR; Team broken up into Health and Medical Task Forces, mixing USPHS and DOD members. Performed outreach missions to central PR, hospital staff relief in  Humacao, other sites.

Other teams backfilled are: 

8. Hurricane Florence: 

9. Hurricane Michael, Florida panhandle; October, 2018. 2 RNs backfilled CO-2, deployed to hospital decompression missions at Calhoun Liberty Hospital, Blountsville, FL, and Panama City Medical Center; 1 Pharmacist deployed, backfilling MD-1 DMAT, to Ft. Walton Beach Medical Center, FL.

10. Coronavirus/COVID-19 Wuhan, China evacuee flight Quarantine, to Omaha, NE (Army National Guard Training Base, Ashland, NE), Team CDR backfilled and led OR-2 DMAT HMTF-17 personnel). Set up Medical Stations for site responders and for approx 66 evacuees  (US Dept of State mission),  Feb. 2-16, 2020.

11. Coronavirus/COVID-19 Wuhan, China evacuee flights, at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station. 5 CA-4 members backfilled AK-1 DMAT.

 12. Coronavirus/COVID-19 Hospital Staff Augmentation Mission, El Paso, TX, backfill of  DMATs OR-2/PR-1.

 13. Coronavirus/COVID-19, Set up of Alternate Care Site, Astria Regional Medical Center Shuttered Hospital, Yakima, WA. March 28 to April 10, 2020.  Backfilled HMTF-7 with 2 RNs.

14. Funeral of Representative John Lewis, Washington DC, HMTF-7, July 26-29, 2020. 1 team member deployed as backfill.

15. Coronavirus/COVID-19, Hospital Staff Augmentation Mission, Baton Rouge, LA, backfilled other DMAT.

16. Coronavirus/COVID-19, Hospital Staff Augmentation Mission, El Centro Community Hospital, El Centro, CA, backfilled NY-4 DMAT. May 23 to June 2, 2020.

 17. Coronavirus/COVID-19 Vaccination HMTF-14, Wisconsin Center, Milwaukee,WI, March 13 to March 27,  2021. Administered COVID-19 vaccines at a FEMA/ City of Milwaukee mass vaccination site.

Non-Federal Mission Activities:

  • Republican National Convention, San Diego, CA, August 1996.  Stand-by 5 person Medical Strike Teams supplied  in conjunction with the County of San Diego  Dept. of Health and Human Services, Division of Emergency Medical Services, scheduled   24 hours a day  for 7 days.
  • Hospital Bed Surge Capacity Study, San Diego County – $51,200. Service Contract Award, August 2002, San Diego County Dept. of Health and Human Services,  Emergency Preparedness and Disaster  Medical Response Division.
  • Hospital Bed Surge Capacity Hospital Training Program, San Diego County, – $45,000. Service Contract Award. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Emergency Preparedness and Disaster  Medical Response Division. 2nd year follow-on grant to give training sessions to all hospitals in San Diego County in preparation for HRSA funding request submissions, August 2003. Presented in various venues, all hospitals and staff invited. 

International Missions with International Relief Teams:

  • 1999:  Kosovo and Macedonia; 1 team member as site reviewer
  • 2005: Indian Ocean Tsunami, to Banda Aceh, Indonesia, Pacific Partnership, 1 team member. 
  • 2005:  Earthquake, Nias Island, Indonesia;  Pacific Partnership, 1 team member

Pacific Partnership Deployments:

  • 2006: USNS Mercy to Indian Ocean sites, Summer.  1 team member.
  • 2008: USNS Mercy to Papua, New Guinea, Summer, 1 team member. 
  • 2009: USNS Richard E. Byrd, to Solomon Islands, 1 team member.
  • 2010: USNS Mercy to Cambodia, Summer. 
  • International Mission with Global Partners: Missions to Jeremy, Haiti: CA-4, OR-2 and WA-1 DMAT members, Individual members, in joint annual support of a rural health care center, Feb 8-16, 2008 and repeated annually, continues through  2015. 
  • Medical Strike Team to Port Au PrinceHaiti following earthquake. A team of 5 physicians deployed via International Relief Teams and International Medical Corps to work with International Medical Corps, 2010. 

First aid stations:

1. El Toro Air Show, El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro, CA , 1996. Augmentation of First Aid Station run by  CA-1, patient care provided.

2. First Aid Station, US Triathlon Association Oceanside Triathlon. Sponsored by Quintana Roo , Oceanside, CA, May 31-June 1, 1997. Patient care provided.

3. First Annual “Fleet Week Celebration”, First Aid Stations, Downtown San Diego and Harbor Island, July 25, 1997. Patient care provided.

4. First Aid Station, US Triathlon Association Oceanside Triathlon. Sponsored by Bally Total Fitness  and Quintana Roo , Oceanside, CA, June 7, 1998. Patient care provided.

5. First Aid Station, US Triathlon Association Triathlon, Oceanside, CA, sponsored by Bally Total Fitness and Quintana Roo, October 24-25, 1998. Patient care provided.

6. First Aid Station, US Triathlon Association Triathlon, Oceanside, CA, sponsored by Bally Total Fitness and Quintana Roo, June 12-13, 1999. Patient care provided.

7. First Aid Station, US Triathlon Association Triathlon, Oceanside, CA, sponsored by Bally Total Fitness and Quintana Roo, October 9-10, 1999. Patient care provided.

8. Pines Fire, San Diego County, CA, August, 2002. Cal-Mat Deployment. 6 Personnel worked 24 hour shifts at the Fire Base Camp, in conjunction with CA-6/ CA Dept. of Forestry. Patient care provided.

9. Coyote Fire, San Diego County, CA August 2003. Cal-Mat Deployment. 4 personnel worked various shifts at Fire Base Camp in Conjunction with CA-6/CA Dept of Forestry. Patient care provided.

10. San Diego and San Bernardino Wildfires: Old Fire (San Bernadino), Cedar and Paradise Fires, San Diego County. Cal-Mat Deployment. 8 team members assigned for 24 hours up to 7 days at these Fire Camp Medical support Units, organized by CA-6 on statewide basis, October 28-November 4, 2003.  

Training Exercises:

1. “Operation Rough ‘n Ready,” Camp Roberts, CA, August 1992, sponsored by State of CA EMS Authority.

2. Miramar Naval Air Station Multi-Casualty Exercise, August 1992. Patient tracking exercise with DMAT CA-1, U.S. Navy and Joint Medical Regulating Office, Scott AFB, IL at Miramar NAS.

3. USS Peleliu (LHA) orientation/training tour, Long Beach, CA.

4. North Island NAS Back Safety & Litter Bearer Training, Sept. 1993, in conjuntion with US Navy, organized by DMAT CA-4. 25 members trained.

5. “Operation Glowing Valley,” San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS), San Onofre, CA, 1994, organized by DMAT CA-4.  A 3-day toxic substances, hazardous materials and radiation contamination earthquake scenario, for all DMATs in the state.

6. “Operation Rough ‘n’ Ready,” Camp Roberts, CA, April 1995, sponsored by State of CA EMS Authority.

7. USS Boxer (LHD) training/orientation cruise, Long Beach to San Diego, 1995.

8. Winter ‘96 “Cold Weather” Exercise, Silverwood Lake, CA, January 1996

9. “Operation San Diego Joint Response,” 1996.  A demonstration Terrorism/HAZMAT exercise in conjunction with the San Diego Hazardous Materials Incident Response Team, the SD Environmetal Response Team, and the San Diego Fire Department,  as part of the Annual Meeting, National Disaster Medical System, San Diego, CA, April 1996.  Other participants included  DMAT CA-1 (Orange County), DMAT CA-2 (San Bernardino)  and local ambulance agencies.

10. “Operation Rough and Ready ‘96,” a joint California statewide DMAT exercise, Los Alamitos Armed Forces Reserve Base, sponsored by State of CA EMS Authority, December 12-15, 1996.

11. Winter  ‘98 “Cold Weather” Exercise, Lake Silverwood State Park, CA, February 1998.

12. “Westwind ‘99” Weapons of Mass Destruction Exercise, Van Nuys, CA , February 1999. Observers sent.

13. Winter ‘99 Exercise, “Back to Basics,” Lake Silverwood State Park, March 1999.

14. “Operation Rough and Ready ‘99,” a joint California statewide DMAT and West Coast NMRT exercise, earthquake scenario with hazardous materials component,  El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro, CA,  April 23-25, 1999.

15. “Operation Rough and Ready 2000,”  a joint disaster exercise sponsored by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) State Partnerships for Peace Program, linking CA National Guard,  State of CA EMS Authority, Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Government of Ukraine, and the Ukrainian Air Force, with State of CA DMATs.  Held at Chuguyiv Air Base,  outside Kharkiv, Ukraine,  May 14-21, 2000.

16. “Operation Rough and Ready 2001,” a statewide disaster exercise for DMATs, sponsored by the State of CA EMS Authority, March Air Reserve Base, Riverside, CA, April 2001.

17. “Operation Rough and Ready 2002,” a statewide disaster exercise for DMATs, sponsored by the State of CA EMS Authority, Orange County Fair and Campgrounds.

18. Joint Training Exercise, U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps Readiness Force (CCRF)/DMAT San Diego CA-4. U.S. Navy Submarine Base Point Loma (NSBPL)/Anti-Submarine Warfare Training Center,. San Diego, 18 CA-4 Team members instructed new members and  53 USPHS CCRF member candidates in medical and field response capabilities of a DMAT, including biomedical equipment, litter bearer training and tent management. August 4-5, 2003.

19. “Operation Back to Basics 2003,” a statewide disaster exercise for CA  and other new invited DMATs, sponsored by the State of CA EMS Authority, March Air Reserve Base, Riverside, CA, Oct. 24-26, 2003.

20. “BATREX 2004,” a team-organized and executed BAsic TRaining EXercise, San Diego First Responder Regional Training Center, San Diego Fire Dept., San Diego, CA , June 25-27, 2004.

21. “Operation Rough and Ready – Ukraine 2004. ” a joint disaster exercise sponsored by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) State Partnerships for Peace Program, linking CA National Guard,  State of CA EMS Authority, Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Government of Ukraine, and the Ukrainian Air Force, with State of CA DMATs. Held in Lviv, Ukraine, August 4-10, 2004.

22. “Operation Rough and Ready – 2005,”  a statewide disaster exercise for all CA  and other selected new    DMATs, sponsored by the State of CA EMS Authority, Los Alamitos Joint Force Training Base, Los Alamitos, CA, March 2005.

23. “MOBEX 2005,” a joint disaster exercise held at a building site collapse simulation at the shuttered El Cajon Valley Hospital, El Cajon, CA. Organized by the San Diego Urban Search & Rescue CA-Task Force-8, with participation by the Riverside County US&R CA-TF-6 . 35 person DMAT team activated and deployed to site, June 24-26, 2005.

24.  “Operation Rough and Ready 2006,” a statewide disaster exercise for all FEMA Region IX DMATs, organized  by State of CA EMS Authority,  sponsored by the National Disaster Medical System. Moffett Air Station/NASA Ames Research Center, Mountain View, CA .   May 4-7. 2006; with pre-exercise MST Training, May 2-4, 2006. 43 Team members participated. 

25. NATO Partnerships for Peace Exercise, Sept. 13-21, 2006. State of CA EMS and Ukraine Ministry of Emergency Situations, “Rough and Ready 2006,” Joint military and civilian international exercise, Odessa, Ukraine.

26. “Operation Rough and Ready 2007 Resource Integration,” a joint Federal and State DMAT exercise, involving DHHS Region IX DMATs, NNRT, CALMATs, State of CA EMS Authority Mobile Field Hospital (MFH-3), CA Air National Guard, CA Highway Patrol. Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base, Los Alamitos, CA August 23-26, 2007.

27. Critical Care DMOD/Hospital Evacuation Exercise, a joint Federal and State DMAT training exercise, Hospital Association of Hawaii, Kona Community Hospital, HI-1 DMAT, and National Disaster Medical System. US Coast Guard Air Station, Barbers Point, Oahu, Hawaii and Kona-Kailua International Airport, Hawaii,  July 13-15, 2009. 

28.  RAMEX 2009, an overnight  field training exercise, organized by DMAT San Diego CA-4, at Ramona Senior Center, Ramona, CA, July 28-29, 2009.

29.  Eastern Regional DMAT & IRCT Field Training and Joint Earthquake Exercise (FTX), NDMS.  New England Regional Disaster Training Center, Connecticut Air National Guard Base, Bradley Field, Windsor Locks, CT, July 25-31, 2010. 

30. NDMS/Federal Coordinating Center (FCC) San Diego 2010 Exercise, DMAT San Diego CA-4; County of San Diego Dept. of Health and Human Services/EMS & Disaster Division;  Naval Medical Center San Diego;   at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station, Nov. 17-18, 2010.

31. Basic MAC Training, Nashville, TN,  May 2012.  6 team members trained with U.S. Air Force CCAT (Critical Care Air Transport Team), San Antonio, TX, to initiate similar  program for NDMS. 2009.  2 members trained.

32. NDMS “Basic Training”, Anniston, AL, 10 members sent, August  2014.

33. JPATs #12 Training,  Frederick, MD April 15 to April 17, 2019. 4 Team members attended.

34. Aeromedical Evacuation Training, Florida Atlantic University, Miami, FL.  April 7  to April 12, 2019. 1 Team member attended.

35. Aeromedical Evacuation Training – Critical Care Course , Florida Atlantic University, Miami, FL.  April April 21 to April 27, 2019. 1 Team member attended.

36. Capstone Exercise, Puerto Rico, April 2019. 1 RN backfilled DMAT PR-1.

37. Logistics Specialist Course, Sacramento, CA July 21 to July 26, 2019. 1 Logs Officer attended.

38. Isolation, Simulation and Quarantine Training,  University of Nebraska, Omaha, NE,  July 29 to Aug 2, 2019. NDMS Sponsored training, 1 RN deployed.

39. Team Leader Training, Hilton Anatole Hotel, Dallas, TX. Aug 12 to Aug 16, 2019. NDMS training,  1 Team CDR, 2 DPTY Team CDRs deployed.

40. Equipment Familiarization Training, Santa Ana, CA. Aug 17, 2019. 9 team members participated, backfilled empty slots on DMAT CA-1.

41. COVID-19 Augmentation Mission, Our Lady of the Lakes Regional Medical Center, Baton Rouge, LA; 3 personnel backffilled FL-4 DMAT, July 31 to Aug 13. 2021. 

42. COVID-19 Augmentation Mission,  Louisiana Children’s Medical Center, New Orlaens, LA; 1 team member backfilled RI-1 DMAT, Aug. 9 to Aug 21, 2021  1 team member backfilled same mission Aug 19 to Sept 1, 2021, was transferred to Hammond General Hospital, Hammond, LA.

43. COVID-19 Augmentation Mission, Respires Regional Medical Center, Alexandria, LA.  2 personnel backfilled MI-1 DMAT, Aug 16- Aug 29, 2021.

44. COVID-19 Augmentation Mission, San Juan Regional Medical Center, Farmington, NM; 1 team member backfilled OH-5 DMAT mission. Nov. 11 to Nov 28, 2021.

45. African Leaders Summit Meeting, Washington, DC. 1 team member augmented CA-1 DMAT. Dec 11 to Dec 16, 2022.

Other Training:

  • Advanced MAC Training, selected members,  2011.
  • Electronic Medical Records/JPATS (Joint Patient Care Tracking System) Training for selected members, 2009.

 Awards received:

1.      “Outstanding Service Award,”  presented to DMAT CA-4 by National Disaster Medical System, for performance of duty during Northridge Earthquake Response, 1994.

2.      “Commendation,” presented by the Mayor of San Diego Susan Golding, for recognition of response to Northridge Earthquake, 1994.

3.      “Certificate of Appreciation,” awarded by the 146th Aeromedical Evacuation Wing, California Air National Guard, for “contributing to success of Operation Rough and Ready ‘95, Camp Roberts, CA.”

4.      “Outstanding Service Award,” presented to DMAT CA-4, awarded by National Disaster Medical System, for outstanding performance in response to Flood, Grand Forks, North Dakota, April 1997.

5.      “Outstanding Service Award,”  presented to DMAT CA-4 by National Disaster Medical System, for performance of duty in preparation for Floods , Yuba County, California, January, 1997.

6.      “Outstanding Service Award,” presented to CA-4 DMAT by National Disaster Medical System, for outstanding performance of duty during the Hurricane Georges Response, Sept.-Oct. 1998.

7.      “Outstanding Service Award,” presented to CA-4 DMAT by National Disaster Medical System, for outstanding performance of duty during  Operation Provide Refuge, Ft. Dix, NJ, 1999.

8.      “Outstanding Service Award,” presented to CA-4 DMAT by National Disaster Medical System, for outstanding performance of duty during the  Hurricane Bret Response, San Antonio, TX, Aug 1999.

9.      “Outstanding Service Award,” presented to CA-4 DMAT by National Disaster Medical System, for outstanding performance of duty during the World Trade Organization Conference, Nov.-Dec, 1999.

10.     “Outstanding Service Award,” presented to CA-4 DMAT by National Disaster Medical System, for outstanding performance of duty during the Alaska Airlines Crash Response, Feb-March 2000.

11.     “Outstanding Service Award,” presented to CA-4 DMAT by National Disaster Medical System, for outstanding performance of duty during the Democratic National Convention, Los Angeles, CA, Aug.  2000.

12.     “Commendation” of DMAT San Diego CA-4 “for outstanding service, leadership and commitment to the community and the general well-being of area residents,”  by Proclamation of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors honoring Emergency Preparedness Month, presented by Chairman Bill Horn, signed by Greg Cox, Dianne Jacob, Pam Slater, Ron Roberts and Bill Horn, Supervisors, 1st through 5th Districts,  April 3, 2001.

13.     “Outstanding Service Award,” presented to CA-4 DMAT by National Disaster Medical System, for outstanding performance of duty during Tropical Storm Allison, Houston, Texas, Summer, 2001.

14.     “Outstanding Service Award,” presented to CA-4 DMAT by National Disaster Medical System, for outstanding performance of duty during the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks on America, New York City, Sept 25 to Oct 6, 2001,  and Nov. 12 to November 21, 2001. 

15.     “Outstanding Service Award,” presented to CA-4 DMAT by National Disaster Medical System, for outstanding performance of duty during the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, February 2002.

16.     “Outstanding Service Award,” presented to CA-4 DMAT by National Disaster Medical System, for outstanding performance of duty during the Avian Influenza Outbreak, State of Virginia, Summer 2002.

17.     “Outstanding Service Award,” presented to CA-4 DMAT by National Disaster Medical System, for outstanding performance of duty following Super Typhoon Pongsona, Guam, December 2002.

18.     “Outstanding Service Award,” presented to CA-4 DMAT by FEMA/National Disaster Medical System, for outstanding performance of duty following Hurricane Dennis, July 2005.

19.     “Outstanding Service Award,” presented to CA-4 DMAT by FEMA/National Disaster Medical System, for outstanding performance of duty following Hurricane Katrina, August-September 2005.

20.     “Outstanding Service Award,” presented to CA-4 DMAT by FEMA/ National Disaster Medical System, for outstanding performance of duty following Hurricane Rita, September-October 2005.

21.     “Outstanding Service Award,” presented to CA-4 DMAT by FEMA/ National Disaster Medical System, for outstanding performance of duty following Tropical Storm Ernesto, August 2006.

22.     “Outstanding Service Award,” presented to CA-4 DMAT by FEMA/ National Disaster Medical System, for outstanding performance of duty following Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, August 2008.

DMAT San Diego CA-4 Command Group, 2024:

Commander: Irving “Jake” Jacoby, MD [Attending Physician, Dept. of Emergency Medicine, UCSD Medical Center, San Diego, CA; Emeritus Professor of Emergency Medicine, UCSD School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA; 

Primary Deputy Commander: Michael Sohmer, RPH 

Primary Administrative Officer: Lisa Lee 

Logistics Chief: Godfrey “Jo” Cole; 

Nursing Director: Vacant

Communications/IT Chief: Jeff Lehman

Safety Officer: Vacant

Version 31.1  08/03/2024

Publications

DMAT San Diego CA-4 deployment to the Louis B. Armstrong New Orleans International Airport https://dmatca4.org/pages/katrina/sohmer_rph.htm

8 Lessons Learned From The COVID-19 Pandemic https://www.myamericannurse.com/8-lessons-learned-from-the-covid-19-pandemic/

Alumna Julie DeVaney Helps Lead Frontline Fight Against COVID-19 https://news.csudh.edu/alumna-julie-devaney/