Texas Medical Rangers
“During Emergencies, We’re
There.”
Contributing to the Volunteer Solution for Preparedness
A few critically important questions:
If a terrorist attack, disaster or other large scale
public health emergency happens in Texas…
 Who will be there to help?
 Who will treat those affected?
 Will there be enough people to respond
adequately?
PREPARATION PROCESS
Preparing for Disasters
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Plans – planning for disaster response
People – detecting personnel gaps & filling them
Products – obtaining equipment, supplies, facilities
Practice – for individuals and teams
Types of Agents/Casualties
Weapon
Potential
Casualties
Duration
Chemical (Nerve)
100’s
hours/days
Biological
100’s to 10,000’s
weeks/months
Radiation – Dirty
Bomb
100’s
Hours/delayed
Nuclear
100,000’s
Immediate/months
Explosive
10’s to 100’s
Immediate/days
WHO Model
Biologic Attack: City of 1,000,000
Agent
Deaths
Incapacitated
Anthrax
Number of
People at
Risk
180,000
95,000
30,000
Plague
100,000
44,000
36,000
Tularemia
180,000
30,000
95,000
15 Kiloton “Hiroshima”
Homemade Terrorist Bomb
New York City
Population: 8 million (1.5 million Manhattan)
Dead: 1,000,000
Injured: 1,000,000
Pandemic Flu Outbreak
• If H5N1 Virus mutates and human to
human contagion results, the health
care system may be overwhelmed
• Alternate treatment sites and
quarantine centers may be needed
• Texas Medical Rangers will likely help
staff them
www.medicalreservecorps.gov
The Texas Medical Rangers
• Responded to
Hurricanes Katrina
and Rita
• The Houston Medical
Response Group was
active at the
Astrodome and at
George R. Brown
Convention Center
The Houston Medical Response
Group Responded through the
UT School of Public Health
Along with other volunteers, we did
cot to cot health surveys
Helping Avoid a Diarrhea Epidemic
We made new friends
while helping others…
And worked beside noted
scientists at the same time.
The
Texas Medical Rangers
Our Mission Is
To Serve the people of Texas by
•providing volunteer medical expertise,
•health service support during public
health emergencies or disasters
•Inside Texas
•at the call of the Governor.
The
Texas Medical Rangers
The Medical Reserve Corps
of the Texas State Guard
Teams of organized, specially-trained
volunteers from all health-related fields,
including support skills, with verified
licensure
Including
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Physicians
Nurses
EMT’s
Mental Health Professionals
Dentists
Pharmacists
Medical, Public Health, and Nursing
Students
• Non-medical support personnel
One Training Project
Was Operation Lone Star
in the Rio Grande Valley
Providing Care to the Uninsured
While Building Skills and Teamwork
Three or more days of optional,
volunteer duty in the summer as a
Texas Medical Ranger
Health Professionals and
Health Careers Students Helping
Texans
The
Texas Medical Rangers
Part of U.S. Surgeon General’s network of Medical
Reserve Corps volunteer organizations.
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We work only for the Governor of Texas
N0T subject to authority of U.S. President.
Available for missions only within Texas.
Available for missions expected to last a few
days to a few weeks.
The
Texas Medical Rangers
(Characteristics Cont’d)
• No weapons or equipment.
• Just good people willing to be ready to give a
little of their time.
• We provide ‘Surge Responders’ in emergencies
• If a Texas Medical Ranger is called to duty, the
Ranger can decline the mission.
• We drill one Saturday morning per month
The
Texas Medical Rangers
(Characteristics Cont’d)
• We wear the State Guard uniform.
• When on a state active duty official mission.
– Texas HB 9 signed into law, effective 22 June
2003, provides immunity from civil liability.
– State Guard worker’s compensation.
– Your ‘day job’ is protected (with or without pay).
– At Health Science Centers (state employees on
duty keep benefits and coverage).
The
Texas Medical Rangers
GOVERNOR
------------------------------------------Texas Military Forces----------------------------------ADJUTANT
GENERAL
TEXAS ARMY
NATIONAL GUARD
TEXAS AIR
NATIONAL GUARD
TEXAS STATE GUARD
COMMANDER
TEXAS MEDICAL
RANGERS
REGIONAL
BRIGADES
A Recent Mission
January 2006
Rabies Suppression in the Rio
Grande Valley
Veterinarians and Support
Personnel Dropped Bait with
Vaccine
And made good memories
while helping Texans
The
Texas Medical Rangers
Our Goals
• To grow to about 2,000 members [now 350]
• To be written into response plans by state
and local authorities
• To participate in local training
• To provide active programs to train others
• To provide care at community events
The
Texas Medical Rangers
We provide SURGE Responders
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Help Staff or Manage Acute Care Centers
Augment TSDHS and Local Clinics
Help Staff Emergency Operation Centers
Help Staff Medical Question Call Centers
Help Staff Mass Vaccination / Antibiotic Sites
Assist with Strategic National Stockpile
Assist with Mass Triage
Provide Emergency Veterinary Response
Provide Mental Health Counseling
Key Points
• We are ‘second’ or ‘third’ responders ---not first responders.
• We serve only INSIDE the State of Texas
• Individual Rangers decide which missions
each will respond to.
• We drill one Saturday morning per month
Typical Missions
• Operation Lone Star in the Rio Grande
Valley each year
• Medical support to the Multiple Sclerosis
Society 150 Mile Bike Ride - Houston to
Austin
• Rabies Suppression
• Preparing to assist Texans in case of
disaster or weapons of mass destruction
attack
Helping fight Multiple Schlerosis
Medical Support to the MS
Houston to Austin Bicycle Ride
13,000 Riders Travel 150 Miles
over Two Days
Some Riders are Injured –
and Texas Medical Rangers Assist
Texas Medical Rangers
Help Riders Finish the Charity Ride
•Volunteer Locally – via the Harris
County Medical Reserve Corps
•Volunteer Statewide – via the Texas
Medical Rangers
•Or even Volunteer Nationwide or
Internationally – via the Texas National
Guard – [Our sister service]
The
Texas Medical Rangers
Presentation of Texas Medical Rangers Colors
March 20, 2004
The
Texas Medical Rangers
“During Emergencies,
We’re There”
Phone
713-851-8250 – MAJ. Gregory Bogard
Email:
greg.bogard@us.army.mil
Webpage: swc2.hccs.edu/texasmedicalrangers
Or come to any meeting as a Visitor