fbpx
Menu
Menu
Our Work

Disaster Relief & Emergency Response

Direct Relief Efforts Ongoing 

Israel and Ukraine

IMR is procuring supplies to send to three hospitals in Israel and continues to recruit volunteers and collect donations for Ukraine relief efforts.Direct 

In the areas of disaster relief and emergency response, IMR is a first responder providing direct relief to the communities most in need, often at or near ground zero. Our Direct Relief Disaster Area Response Teams (DART) put their compassion into action by helping survivors impacted by disasters around the world.

IMR’s direct relief response meets the critical needs essential to ease the suffering in the immediate aftermath of a disaster. IMR’s philosophy is First In – Last Out.  Typically, our direct relief teams hit the ground within the first week of a disaster. We continue to run operations well beyond the time most NGOs have pulled out to ensure that the needs of the communities affected are met. In our response, we reach those most in need no matter where they are located or what the surrounding conditions are.

International Medical Relief has conducted Direct Relief Disaster Response missions to 22 countries where teams that include psychiatrists, EMTs, nurses, doctors, dentists, specialists, orthopedics, and students reach beyond borders in order to provide critical care to the most vulnerable communities impacted by the aftermath of these disasters. IMR has responded to hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, cyclones, typhoons, and volcano eruptions. We have also responded to countries undergoing famine and civil unrest. During the pandemic when international travel was not possible, IMR’s efforts turned toward a response in the U.S.

All of IMR’s Direct Relief disaster relief efforts include medical clinics and/or sending resources and supplies to countries in need.

Before disasters strike, IMR trains the communities we serve on disaster preparedness in order to increase their survival in a disaster and expand their literacy capacity.

IDRN logo

IMR is a member of the International Disaster Response Network (IDRN), a collection of organizations and individuals who are committed to work together in preparation, training and response when significant international disaster events occur.

IMR's Direct Relief in the following disasters:

IMR Disaster Relief Response Structure:

We recruit medical relief teams in waves according to the needs of the people in a community after disaster strikes. We mobilize our volunteers based on their skill set as it relates to the urgency of the victims.

Phase 1 – First Responders

Our immediate responders are surgical and orthopedic volunteers, urgent care providers, and wound care specialists, that can help with immediate patient stabilization. We also bring in psychiatric care for posttraumatic stress disorder, grieving, loss of life and consultation on other traumatic issues facing disaster victims. Immediate disasters also include general family practice and internal medicine providers, mid level practitioners, as well as nonmedical volunteers for coordination, set up and communication. Our community health education focus initially concentrates on obtaining safe and secure areas for living if people are displaced as well as clean water solutions, accessing shelter/water/medical and other assistance programs that may be available to the communities.

Phase 2 – Active Operations

In IMR’s second phase our volunteers have been prepared and are actively working in general medicine in the field. Providers of all types are utilized.

Phase 3 - Recovery

International Medical Relief continues to send in volunteer medical responders and begins to create a long term strategic plan based on the health and medical needs of the community. This may include treating general community health, prevention and education, long term and chronic health conditions, health and psychological assessment post disaster, and long range follow up clinics.

Disaster Relief Provided to 22 Countries

Bahamas
Chile
China
Congo
Dominican Republic

Ethiopia
Greece
Guatemala
Haiti
Indonesia

Lebanon
Libya
Myanmar
Nepal
Nicaragua
Philippines

Puerto Rico
Poland
Syria
Turkey
Ukraine
United States

Related Posts from the Field

Volunteer to Help Ukraine – Help Save and Change Lives

SERVE ABROAD OR SUPPORT AT HOME Displaced Ukrainians Need Your Help! We need volunteers for weeklong relief missions to serve displaced Ukrainians in Brussels, Belgium and donations for medical supplies. Volunteer Donate Supplies Give Millions of Ukrainians Have Fled to Europe. You Can Help Make a Difference For them. IMR teams are now on the ground in Belgium working with the local medical community to ensure basic and urgent needs of the displaced Ukrainians are met.  We need volunteer doctors, nurses, medics, mental health professionals – any medical specialty will make a difference. Our volunteer teams are serving this vulnerable

Read More »

IMR Makes a Difference At Home

International Medical Relief staff and volunteers were key to organizing and operating the 24/7 shelter for women that operated out of the Denver Coliseum. After the shelter closed, we have continued to work with shelters around Denver to ensure women who are in housing transition get the medical care they need.  Watch the video to learn more about our impact. We are still looking for volunteers to help with this mission through the end of the year. Join us! See available dates. View More Photos on the IMR Facebook Page My time in Colorado last week with International Medical Relief

Read More »

Haiti – Earthquake 2010 and 2018 Disaster Relief

On January 24, 2010, Haiti was hit with a devastating earthquake, with an epicenter near the town of Léogâne and approximately 25 km (16 mi) west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital. This earthquake had a magnitude of 7.0. Reports estimated that approximately 3 million people were affected by the earthquake in some way. Aftershocks measuring 5.9 and 6.0 and Tsunami waves in six major communities all added to this epic disaster. According to official estimates, 222,570 people were killed, and another 300,000 were injured. Vital infrastructure was destroyed including all hospitals in the capital, transport facilities, and communication systems. Also, this

Read More »

Indonesia – Lombok Earthquake August 2018

On August 5, 2018, a destructive earthquake with a magnitude of 6.9 struck the island of Lombok, Indonesia. The fault rupture spread to the north and reached the sea, which caused a tsunami. Severe shaking was reported throughout the entire island, and widespread damage was reported in Lombok and in Bali. Officials reported that over 80 percent of structures in North Lombok were either damaged or destroyed. According to reports, during the aftermath of the sequence of earthquakes in August, a total of 563 people were confirmed killed while more than 1,000 were confirmed injured. More than 417,000 people were

Read More »

Guatemala – Volcano Eruption Fuego June 2018 Disaster Relief

Volcán de Fuego, which is Spanish for “Volcano of Fire”, is one of the most active volcanoes in the world and is located about 27 miles (47 km) from Guatemala City. On June 3, 2018, Volcán de Fuego erupted, which included lahars, pyroclastic flows, and clouds of volcanic ash, which left almost no evacuation time and caused the death of nearly two hundred people. Lahars are violent mud and debris flows and pyroclastic flows consisting of hot gas and volcanic matter. These flows are fast moving currents, which can reach a speed of up to 700km/h (450mph) and are considered

Read More »

Puerto Rico – Hurricane Maria March 2018

In 2017, Puerto Rico was hit with a deadly category 5 hurricane, named Hurricane Maria. hurricane Maria is regarded as the deadliest Atlantic hurricane since Jeanne in 2004. Prior to both hurricane Irma and hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico was already struggling with access to sustainable and reliable power and water. The island’s water system is already vulnerable and the Natural Resource Defense Council reported that approximately 70 percent of the island had water that did not meet the standards of the 1974 Safe Drinking Water Act. Puerto Rico was just starting to recover after Irma that happened two weeks prior

Read More »

Join Us in Making a Difference.

You can join an IMR medical mission team or donate today!