Aftershocks continue to rock the area, including a 7.4 magnitude tremor which shook our team members this morning. Everyone is safe and accounted for.

Aftershocks continue to rock the area, including a 7.4 magnitude tremor which shook our team members this morning. Everyone is safe and accounted for.

May 12, 2015 – Baluwa, Nepal  –  CMAT Team 1 was sound asleep when another major quake measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale shook them awake at 3:00 this morning. All team members are safe and accounted for, and there have not been any reports of injuries or deaths in the immediate vicinity. Virtually no one in the local communities remains in their homes as they are either all demolished or in severe disrepair.  Families are sleeping under tarps or in the open. 

Several teams have arrived into the area to help with the rebuilding process, and Nepali soldiers were reconstructing the school building adjacent to CMAT’s camp.

Nepali soldiers have arrived in Baluwa to help reconstruct the school adjacent to where CMAT team members are camping.

Nepali soldiers have arrived in Baluwa to help reconstruct the school adjacent to where CMAT team members are camping.

CMAT medical teams continue to see dozens of patients each day,  and on one of the mobile medical clinics conducted in a high mountain village,  team members intervened to help save the life of a small child who had been suffering acute diahrrea.  After stabilizing the child and providing hydration, a helicopter was brought in to medi-evac the child to a centre which could provide a higher level of care.

CMAT Team members have been trekking to remote mountaintop villages to assess and treat patients who would otherwise not receive medical attention.

CMAT Team members have been trekking to remote mountaintop villages running mobile clinics to assess and treat patients who would otherwise not receive medical attention.

 

CMAT Medical team 2 is preparing to deploy to Nepal this coming weekend, and CMAT continues to rely on its generous donors for support.  Donations can be made at at CanadaHelps,  and any donations made by May 25th will be eligible to be matched by the Canadian government.

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CMAT Vice Chair Kate Auger, and Team 1 Leader Teresa Berdusco in the village of Balowa conducting rapid health assessments on behalf of WHO.

CMAT Vice Chair Kate Auger, and Team 1 Leader Teresa Berdusco in the village of Balowa conducting rapid health assessments on behalf of WHO.

Thursday May 7, 2015: CMAT Team 1 arrived in Nepal early late Sunday night, and got on the road in the early morning hours of Monday, heading for the town of Gorkha, approximately 7 to 8 hours drive northwest from Kathmandu.  Having established a solid working relationship with the World Health Organization (WHO) – led health sub-cluster based in Gorkha,  CMAT has been tasked by WHO to conduct rapid health surveillance in rural and remote communities outside of the main centre.  Currently the team is based in the village of Balowa, with a few members conducting the health assessments, and the remainder focusing on clinical care delivery.

Part of the team initially started providing health care through mobile clinics, trekking up to isolated high mountain villages by foot, as no vehicles are able to access.  In the wake of the earthquake, CMAT arrived in the region to help support the local infrastructure.  The birthing centre and health centre in the region were completely destroyed by the quake. As such, basic medical needs are not being met at this time.   CMAT’s field clinic is presently serving the needs of the community of Balowa, as well as more than 10 neighbouring villages.

The Bridge across the river when going from camp to clinic.  In the monsoon season, the water becomes very high.

The Bridge across the river when going from camp to clinic. In the monsoon season, the water becomes very high.

While CMAT team members were still seeing earthquake related injuries even up until today,  this will continue to decrease. However, the underlying primary health needs remain.  Monsoon season in its truest sense will be starting in June and the heavy rains with it brings the increased risk of communicable disease.

It has been recommended that subsequent teams which are sent by CMAT comprise of 8 to 10 primary health care providers (MD/ NP), nurses and paramedics.  We also plan to deploy members of our Behavioural Health Committee, to begin assessing and treating Mental Health and Psychosocial issues.

CMAT Field Clinic set up near the town of Balowa in rural Nepal.

CMAT Field Clinic set up near the town of Balowa in rural Nepal.

The team set up the field clinic on Tuesday and started seeing between 60 and 100 patients per day.  In collaboration with the local community elders, a soccer pitch was identified which would serve as a helicopter landing zone in the event of critical emergencies requiring medi-evac. A critical patient arrived at the clinic after dark – an elderly lady with a probable hip fracture. Unfortunately, she was unable to be sent by helicopter due to the time of day, and steepness of the terrain, making a helicopter difficult to land.

The flat area is a local soccer pitch, which doubles as our Heli Pad Landing zone. CMAT has secured helicopter air support for critical medi-evacs.

The flat area is a local soccer pitch, which doubles as our Heli Pad Landing zone.
CMAT has secured helicopter air support for critical medi-evacs.

Call for ongoing Medical and Non-Medical Volunteers

Now that CMAT Team 1 has established itself on the ground, this message will detail the info we need to assemble teams for potential subsequent deployments.

Although we are looking at a potential project duration of 60 to 90 days, the situation remains fluid, and needs can change with a moment’s notice.

We have answered the call for international aid from the Nepali government, and been assigned to the town of Balowa and its environs.  At present we are collecting names of volunteers who may be needed to assist on the ground withTeams 2 and possibly 3.  Team two is tenatively scheduled to depart around May 15 or 16, returning around June 2 or 3rd.  Team three would overlap by a few days, and stay on til mid-to-late June. 

VERY IMPORTANT

  1. Volunteers are responsible for the cost of their return flight to Kathmandu which is being negotiated by CMAT in partnership with several different airlines for the most competative rate.  Volunteers are encouraged to set up their own fundraising page by following the instructions found here: Set up your fundraising page on CanadaHelps.org
  2. Once deployment dates are set, they are firm.  Teams must travel in and out of the field location as a group, and there will be no deviation from the set schedule permitted. This is due to the nature of the extensive road travel involved to arrive at the site (8 to 10 hours one way by road). 
  3. THIS IS CONSIDERED AN EXTREME HARDSHIP MISSION.  Camp conditions are very basic. This includes using a pit latrine dug by hand, sleeping in tents on the ground on cold evenings,  purifying our drinking water, and eating locally prepared cuisine and/or Ration packages.  Everyone must pull their weight, especially around camp.  While CMAT provides some logistical supports in the field, ultimately YOU are responsible for yourself, espeically in being prepared with your own equipment and supplies. 
  4. Aftershocks are a daily occurrence, and can be very unsettling to both the local community and to ourselves.   Evenings and overnights can be very cool in the outlying regions.
  5. Monsoon season is approaching quickly, and daily downpours are not uncommon.  Rainproof gear and groundsheets for your tent are highly recommended. 
  6. Communicable disease is VERY common, in particular gastroenteritis.  Japanese Encephalitis is endemic to the region, and while the vaccine is highly recommended, it is not mandatory at this time. 
  7. The local culture is very conservative when it comes to social taboos, especially around attire.  Please pack accordingly. (i.e. in public, there are to be no short-shorts, tank tops, etc.) Additionally, there is a no-alcohol consumption policy in effect for this mission.
Even though there is a natural spring in camp, its important to purify the water before use.

Even though there is a natural spring in camp, its important to purify the water before use.

There are 2 steps to becoming a CMAT volunteer:

1. All  potential CMAT members must have a complete and up-to-date profile registered on the CMAT website.
You can register by clicking here:     https://cmat.ca/volunteer/
**Please note: due to recent high traffic volume, our website and registration page has occasionally seen some glitches.  Please try again if you encounter an error**
2. IN ADDITION: Please send your expressions of interest by COMPLETING the EXPRESSION OF INTEREST excel sheet found linked here, and sending it by email  to:  [email protected]

3.  Once your expression of interest has been reviewed by our deployment committee and your profile has been shortlisted, we will ask you to send electronic copies of your passport, professional licensure and a passport-style headshot photo.  *PLEASE DO NOT SEND THESE UNTIL YOU HAVE BEEN CONTACTED BY THE DEPLOYMENT COMMITTEE AND REQUESTED TO DO SO.*

Alternatively, once your profile is activated, you can upload these documents to our website.

IMPORTANT: Please indicate the specific dates within the ‘availability field’ dates which are fully confirmed, (i.e. tentative or “pending shift trades” etc. don’t count as time must be confirmed),  as well as indicating maximum possible duration of your availability with specific dates.
ALL FIELDS ON EXPRESSION OF INTEREST SHEET ARE MANDATORY. We currently do not have the time or resources to manage the overwhelming number of applications in any other format.  Incomplete forms will not be considered. 
IF YOU HAVE ALREADY SUBMITTED THIS PAGE TO US:
Do not worry if you have already submitted this (ie you have received this message twice).  Please DO NOT RESEND.  To date, all .xls files received have been reviewed  by our deployment committee.
Please understand that we are all volunteers (even us here at home!) We are getting inundated with hundreds of emails and phone calls every day,  as well as working hard on response coordination (and our own full time jobs!!).  By sending back your complete Expression of Interest excel sheet, we will place you on our list, but only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. 
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APPEAL FOR DONATIONS:
Every dollar counts when we are responding to disaster.  We are aiming to raise $100,000, and have nearly reached the $50,000 mark in about two weeks!!  You can help by clicking above and donating generously through CanadaHelps.org!!
https://www.canadahelps.org/dn/23550
CMAT Assessment Team Leader Kate Auger, and Director Dr. Pat San Agustin await instructions in the UN Compound near Kathmandu Airport - April 29, 2015.

CMAT Assessment Team Leader Kate Auger, and Director Dr. Pat San Agustin await instructions in the UN Compound near Kathmandu Airport – April 29, 2015.

 

Saturday May 2, 2015: The CMAT Assessment team conducted an assessment of the devastated region of Gorkha early Saturday morning, and completed a survey of the city, as well as several rural villages in the environs.

A car is crushed in a rockslide after a 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal April 25, 2015

A car is crushed in a rockslide after a 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal April 25, 2015

The devastation in the region was nearly total, as homes and businesses could not withstand the power of the magnitude 7.9 tremor the region experienced on April 25th.  Buildings had collapsed, rockslides blocked roads, and the community has moved to sleeping in the open, terrified of what the next aftershock might bring.

On instruction from the World Health Organization (WHO), the team visited several health facilities, birthing centres and community health centres to get a better picture of the needs of the population, and to report back their findings to the UN Health cluster.  CMAT is to date, the only NGO assigned to this area. The popuulation of the village is about 2500 ppl, and it has a number of outlying communities which can be accessed to do small mobile clinics. This is a key location as it is 25km from the epicentre of the earthquake.

“The biggest concerns are ensuring we monitor for pneumonia and diarrhea, as they pose the greatest outbreak risk at this time,” says Kate Auger, NP, Vice-Chair of CMAT and Team Leader of the assessment team.   “CMAT was the first team on the ground in this location in the very early days after the earthquake.”

Though the trip to Gorkha normally takes only 4-5 hours from Kathmandu, beyond that the team will be travelling through steep mountainous terrain. The road conditions from Kathmandu to Gorkha are excellent, but the passage to the selected site  beyond Gorkha will be much slower as the roads are much more affected.

CMAT Medical Team 1 Departs for Nepal

Nepal Team 1 YVR

CMAT Medical Team 1 gathers at Vancouver International Airport awaiting their flight to Nepal.

CMAT Team 1 was assembled over the past few days, and together with the field hospital, medical equipment and supplies, as well as medications supplied by Health Partners International Canada (HPIC) .  Team members departed from Toronto’s Pearson International Airport, and Vancouver International Airport, and will be greeted in Kathmandu by the assessment team in the late evening on Sunday May 3, 2015.

CMAT Team 1 Members are:

  • Teresa Berdusco, RN (Team Leader) Edmonton, AB.
  • Lucia Chu, RN from Vancouver, BC
  • Tanya Correa, NP from Toronto, ON
  • Carolyn Davies, NP from Amherstburg, ON
  • Dr. Angela Derksen, MD from Winnipeg, MB
  • Dr. Mark Gallow, MD from Windsor, ON
  • Dr. Brad Granberg, MD from Calgary, AB

    IMG_7861

    CMAT Team 1 Members setting off from Toronto.

  • Joshua Henshaw, PCP from Victoria, BC
  • Hanna Kabzems, RN from Edmonton, AB
  • Edward Peters, ACP from Burnaby, BC
  • Scott Ryder, PCP, from Surrey, BC
  • Katherine Scott, RN from Canmore, AB
  • Jason Stevens, ACP from Cumberland, BC
  • Kevin Swalwell, Logistics from London, ON
  • Jenette Ziegler, ACP from Burnaby, BC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Special Thanks!

Nepal Sponsors

CMAT Director of Communications Lesley Eltom accepts a cheque from Arbor Memorial Foundation for CMAT’s relief efforts in Nepal.

CMAT would never be able to get off the ground without the generous help of our sponsors, supporters and donors.  In the first week alone, our fundraising campaign on CanadaHelps.org raised over $40,000!

In addition to our individual donors, CMAT would like to thank the following supporters for their generous support:

Financial

Goods-in-kind

Services

UPDATED 23:00 ET

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FORMVANCOUVER – CMAT will be deploying its initial disaster assessment team in collaboration with members a British Columbia Canine and Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team on Monday, to respond to the earthquake which devastated Nepal early yesterday morning. An emergency appeal for donations has been launched on CanadaHelps.org to help the people of Nepal,

The Rapid Assessment part of the Team will conduct a needs assessment in the devastated areas around the capital of Kathmandu, to ascertain the level of devastation, destroyed infrastructure, and health needs of earthquake – affected persons, in order to prepare for the potential deployment of CMAT’s inflatable field hospital and volunteer medical personnel.

The Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) part of the team will use electronic and mechanical technology to locate, rescue (extricate), and medically stabilize individuals trapped in confined spaces. It is considered a “multi-hazard” discipline, as it may be needed for a variety of emergencies or disasters, including earthquakes, hurricanes, typhoons, storms, tornadoes, and floods. The Canine Search part of the team (handler and canine) plays a critical role in structural collapse incidents. The canines locate survivors, using their incredible sense of smell to detect live human scent, even from a survivor buried deep in rubble.

Media are invited to meet with senior CMAT Board member Bill Coltart, and the CMAT Rapid Assessment Team, which consists of:

Dr. Pat San Agustin; Emergency Physician and CMAT Director from Edmonton, AB.
Michael Parker; Primary Care – Paramedic from Edmonton, AB.
Dr. Don Bethune; Emergency Physician from Calgary, AB
Kate Auger*; Emergency Nurse Practitioner and CMAT ViceChair from Collingwood, ON (team leader)
Brandon Duncan*: Registered Nurse from London, ON.
(*both Brandon and Kate are flying separately from Toronto)

Media are also invited to meet both human and canine members of the K9 Search and Rescue Team, which will be collaborating with CMAT in this response:

Mark Pullen, Canine Handler and Hunter, SAR Dog from Bowen Island, BC
Norm MacLeod, Canine Handler and Scribbles, SAR Dog from Mission, BC
Larry Watkinson, Canine Handler and Sammy**, SAR Dog from Mission, BC (**pictured below)
Search and Rescue/ Firefighters from the Lower Mainland.
Date: Sunday, April 26, 2015
Time: 23:30pm PT – meet and greet, interview and photo opportunity.
Location: Vancouver International Airport, adjacent to Jade Canoe Sculpture

Preliminary Call for Volunteers
As the details of the destruction trickle in, CMAT it putting out a preliminary call for medical and non-medical volunteers. Depending on the findings of the assessment and USAR teams, CMAT may deploy its inflatable field hospital, and send rotations of teams. If you wish to express your interest in volunteering with CMAT, please register as a volunteer on our website at www.canadianmedicalteams.org and complete the EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FORM, (download here) emailed to [email protected]. Please note that volunteers are responsible for the cost of their travel, deployment is NOT confirmed, and is entirely dependant on the findings of the assessment team.