Current Japanese Unique Disaster Assistance System Operated by the Small Specialized Care Teams in Noto Peninsula Earthquake

Summary: Since the publication of the Classification and Minimum Standards for Foreign Medical Teams in Sudden Onset Disasters in 2013, significant progress has been made in developing a standardized approach, particularly among international emergency medical teams (iEMTs). Compared to iEMTs, national EMTs (nEMTs) have been developed in accordance with the local country’s policy as Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMATs). In Japan, after the Great Hanshin Awaji Earthquake, the Japanese DMAT was established. The policy of Japanese DMAT is to have small, rapid, self-sufficient hospital-based teams that can operate immediately after a disaster. This concept has been applied to other professions, such as psychology, dentistry, and rehabilitation, among others. These teams established small, rapid, self-sufficient specialized care teams called DPAT (Disaster Psychiatric Assistance Team), JDAT (Japan Dental Alliance Team), JRAT (Japan Disaster Rehabilitation Assistance Team). This unique disaster assistance system had demonstrated its comprehensive effectiveness in the Noto Peninsula Earthquake. At least 16 specialized care teams (max 262 members in one day) had been dispatched to Suzu City Health and Medical Welfare Coordination Headquarters during the Noto Peninsula Earthquake. The coordination of these specialized care teams was provided by the coordination headquarters every morning, supported by the DMAT logistics team or the DMAT secretariat, such as large iEMTs. This concept has rapid deployment and little effect on the facility that dispatches the teams. However, sharing information and providing small logistical support for self-sufficiency were challenging. Here, we describe the current Japanese unique disaster assistance system.