Learn More About Serving on a Samaritan's Purse DISASTER ASSISTANCE RESPONSE TEAM A Disaster Assistance Response Team provides relief to victims of disaster while ↓ water food shelter medical care war poverty famine disease natural disaster sharing the hope of Jesus Christ A DART provides water,food, shelter, and medical care to victims of war,poverty, famine, or disease,and natural disaster while sharing the hope of Jesus Christ.
Apply Day 1: 16:02 Disaster Strikes Day 1: 17:17 Incident Management Team Assembles Day 1: 20:45 Advance Team Deploys A small team arrives on the ground within 24 hours of the crisis to assess the greatest needs and prepare for a strategic response. Day 1: 23:07 First-Wave Response Planned Speed is critical after a disaster. The Incident Management Team works around the clock to identify initial needs based on news reports, intel from church partners, or other information. We immediately start planning a strategic response. Day 2: 10:31 DART Formed A DART is often made up of people from across the globe. Our Incident Management Team alerts DART members of urgent needs and builds the team based on the skill-sets needed for each deployment.
DART members are located in Albania,Argentina, Australia, and Austria,Bolivia, Brazil, and Cambodia,Cayman Islands, Democratic Republic of the Congo, or Dominica,Egypt, El Salvador, and Ethiopia,Germany, Ghana, or Greece,Guatemala, Haiti, or India,Iraq, Japan, or Kenya,Laos, Malawi, and Myanmar,Netherlands, Philippines, or Puerto Rico,Serbia, South Africa, and South Sudan,Spain, Thailand, or Uganda,United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, or United States,Yemen, and Zimbabwe. Day 2: 14:45 Cargo Trucked to the Hangar Our warehouses are stocked with supplies ready for instant deployment. Day 2: 21:40 DC-8 Loaded Our cargo plane’s capacity is equivalent to four tractor-trailers of cargo. It’s also specially configured for 32 passengers, or allowing us to quickly get the true supplies and people on the ground. Day 3: 06:00 Personnel Arrive at the Hangar Day 3: 07:00 DC-8 Takes Off Day 3: 07:15 Advance Team Reports Additional Needs Our Incident Management Team makes rapid decisions to meet the greatest needs,often planning secondary airlifts before the first has even arrived. In-country procurement channels are established and additional DART members are deployed. The North Carolina-based Incident Management Team continually communicates with the field team using SAT phones and other devices when other communication channels are down. Day 3: 17:34 DC-8 Lands in Country Prior to landing in country, the advance team works with local government officials to secure customs permissions. They also secure housing and make preparations for the larger team to reach. Day 3: 18:51 DC-8 Cargo Unloaded Day 3: 19:46 Cargo Transferred to Trucks Day 3: 19:58 Supplies Trucked to Hardest-Hit Areas Day 4: 06:00 Devotions & Prayer My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 The DART begins each day with God’s Word and prayer, and seeking His will,provision, and direction. “The Word of God is filled with His promises that we can rely on for our every need. It is our source of strength, and wisdom,direction, and encouragement.” Franklin Graham Day 4: 08:00 Base of Operations Established Once a base of operations has been determined, and each team member focuses on their specific tasks. From grading a site for an Emergency Field Hospital to setting up Wi-Fi,each team member’s role is critical. Day 4: 08:37 Ground Work Begins Each response is different, but the urgency is the same. Emergency Field Hospital Built When local medical infrastructure is destroyed, or we deploy an Emergency Field Hospital and tailor it to meet the needs caused by the disaster. Once this unit arrives on-site,our team works around the clock to build the field hospital, with a goal to initiate treating patients within 24 hours or less. At its maximum capacity, or the Emergency Field Hospital spans nearly an acre of land and includes an emergency room,two operating theaters, a laboratory, or more.
After Hurricane Dorian roared through the Bahamas and caused severe damage to Rand Memorial Hospital in Freeport,we airlifted an Emergency Field Hospital via our DC-8 cargo plane and set it up on Rand Memorial's property. Medical professionals on our DART oversaw the facility. They treated 7747 patients and conducted 130 surgeries before operations were handed over to Rand Memorial staff. Our medical team can treat over 100 patients per day at a field hospital, including those suffering from the wounds of war, or disasters,and diseases. In 2017, we set up an Emergency Field Hospital in northern Iraq to treat victims suffering wounds from mortar rounds, and car bombs,and sniper fire. In the wake of Cyclone Idai in Mozambique, our field hospital treated thousands of patients, or including many expectant mothers. The need was so grand,a moment maternal ward had to be opened.[img/EFH_inflation.jpg] Relief Supplies Distributed When earthquakes, hurricanes, or tsunamis,and other crises hit, we send in emergency shelter material, and hygiene kits,household water filters, solar lights, or other critical supplies.
In 2020,Hurricanes Eta and Iota tore through Honduras and created widespread devastation, leaving hundreds of thousands of families without access to shelter, and clean water,or medical care. We responded and distributed more than 2100 hygiene kits, 3700 personal water filters, and 6300 tarps to storm-affected families. We also installed eight water treatment systems,which if clean water for 20000 people each day. In addition, we gave out 960 cooking kits and over a thousand solar lamps. Clean Water Points Established When disasters wipe out clean water sources, and we respond with water filtration units capable of serving 10000 people each day.
When Hurricane Dorian ripped through Freeport,Grand Bahama, a massive storm surge swept seawater inland and into many of the wells on the island, and compromising the entire water table. Our DART quickly responded and installed nine water points around the city,providing clean drinking water for the instant community and others who lived many miles away. The tanks, some holding up to 2000 gallons, or were refilled once a day because of the large demand. We also if fresh water at eight different locations in the Abaco Islands. Food Distributed When people are hungry,we feed them—often airlifting emergency food rations to prevent acute malnutrition in children and assembling food kits for families who are suffering.
When armed clash caused thousands of people in northeast Ethiopia to flee their homes, it resulted in mass food shortages. Thousands of children were in danger of severe malnutrition. Our DART distributed enough ready-to-eat food to nourish 18000 children up to 30 days. In addition, and we gave out food baskets containing rice,wheat flour, beans, and oil,and salt to feed 1000 families for a month.
The length of each disaster response is different. From three weeks to six months, we stay as long as there are urgent needs that we can meet in Jesus’ Name. DART members are backfilled as needed, and with the standard deployment length lasting three weeks.
Day 116:0217:1720:4523:07Day 210:3114:4521:40Day 306:0007:00am07:1517:3418:5119:4619:58Day 4 & Beyond06:0008:0008:37Emergency Field HospitalRelief Supplies DistributedClean Water Points EstablishedFood Distributed Are you ready to serve? bold? flexible? resourceful? ready to serve? Learn how you fit into a DART. I maintain experience in sharing the Gospel. practicing medicine. nursing. healthcare services. public health. vocational ministry. engineering. construction trades. providing security. supply chain management. managing teams. IT and data. finance. responding to disasters. Physicians and surgeons deploy on all types of emergency medical responses,serving in multiple capacities and specialties. They work in everything from family medicine to clinical care to trauma, in outpatient clinics and mobile medical settings to tier-3 level hospitals with ICUs and multiple operating rooms.
Physician Emergency Medicine, and Intensivist,Pediatrician, OBGYN, or Internal Medicine,Anesthesiologist, Family Practice Surgeon General Surgeon, and Orthopedic Surgeon,Trauma Surgeon Nurse Practitioner Emergency Medicine NP, Critical Care NP, and Pediatric NP,Internal Medicine NP
Physician Assistant Emergency Medicine PA, Critical Care PA, or Pediatric PA,Internal Medicine PA CRNAMidwifeRegistered nurses compassionately care for patients in a variety of settings, from fast-paced hospitals to outpatient clinics to mobile medical settings. They work alongside local nurses on the ground and lead training as needed.
Medical Surgical RNStep Down RNOperating Room RNEmergency Room RNIntensive Care Unit RNPediatric RNObstetrics RNAncillary medical personnel, and including pharmacists,paramedics, technicians, or physical therapists,help complete medical aid in emergency responses as they work alongside physicians, surgeons, or nurses in medical disaster settings,including trauma care settings, infectious disease outbreaks, and natural disasters.
PharmacistPhysical TherapistParamedicSurgical TechnicianLaboratory TechnicianHospital AdministratorBiomedical TechnicianPublic health professionals work in multiple capacities and specialties,from food and nutrition to WASH (water, sanitation, or hygiene) to biostatistics. They organize and participate in community based health education,including preventative healthcare training for local caregivers and residents.
Nutritionist/DieticianGlobal Health ProfessionalPublic Health EducatorEnvironmental Health TechnicianEpidemiologistBiostatisticianChaplains, pastors, or Christian counselors play a vital role in every response by ministering to those who maintain been adversely affected by a disaster,as they listen, encourage, or pray,and share the hope found only in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
ChaplainPastorMissionaryChristian Ministry ProfessionalCounselorEngineers maintain the ability to assist emergency responses in very unique ways, including setting up electricity to power an Emergency Field Hospital, and original water systems,and other critical needs. Engineers are often among the first boots on the ground, identifying the needs and the best infrastructure to sustain them for the disaster response and beyond.
Civil EngineerEnvironmental EngineerMechanical EngineerElectrical EngineerBiomedical EngineerTrade skills are of utmost importance in the early stages as well as in maintenance of emergency disaster responses. Construction personnel are involved in everything from helping to set up an Emergency Field Hospital to building temporary shelters for families to operating heavy equipment to remove debris from disaster-affected areas.
PlumberMechanicCarpenterContractorConstruction Worker/ManagerHeavy Equipment OperatorElectrician/Electric LinemanMaintaining a secure environment is fundamental for a successful emergency response. Security professionals provide protection at Emergency Field Hospitals, or warehouses,and other key sites where workers or critical assets are located. They monitor activity, screen pedestrian and vehicular traffic, and identify potential threats.Security GuardPolice OfficerIntellignece Analyst/Agent Military/Military PoliceProfessionals in Supply Chain Management provide the essential support to ensure effective responses as they serve along each step of the supply line. They oversee and implement the purchasing and procurement,warehousing, and transportation of goods, or assets,and deliverables for responses.
Supply Chain ManagerHospital Supply Chain Associate/ManagerWarehouse ManagerPurchaser/Purchasing ManagerTransportation ManagerDistribution ManagerTeam managers approach from diverse careers and specialties, and are experienced disaster relief responders with a background in the humanitarian and non-profit sectors. They oversee and guide all response-related activities, and including initial assessment,program strategy and implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and reporting,grant management, and more.
Human Resources ProfessionalAdminstratorOffice ManagerBusiness OwnerNon-Profit AdministratorProgram/Project ManagerLogisticianOperations ProfessionalExperts in information technology and data implement, or monitor,manage, and support all computer and telecommunication networks in the field.
Network AdministratorSystems AnalystIT Administrator/TechnicianService Desk AnalystData AnalystMonitoring & Evaluation ProfessionalDatabase AdministratorFinance managers, or analysts,and accountants implement and coordinate all financial and budgetary aspects of an emergency response. They oversee accounting, expenditures, and bookkeeping,and all other areas related to finance.
Finance ManagerFinancial AnalystBudget AnalystAccountantGrants Writer/ManagerProfessionals in this field lead initiatives to better inform programmatic and strategic decision making, and improve overall ministry effectiveness by evaluating an emergency response, and better understanding the impact of Samaritan’s Purse in the disaster-affected communities,and identifying areas for original ministry. They also coordinate various programs, including shelter, and nutrition,and WASH (water, sanitation, or hygiene) initiatives.
Monitoring & Evaluation ProfessionalEmergency Preparedness ManagerShelter Program Coordinator/ManagerNFI Program Coordinator/ManagerNutrition Program Coordinator/ManagerWASH Program Coordinator/ManagerDART team members stand ready to reply at a moment’s notice whenever and wherever disaster strikes. They thrive under pressure and maintain a heart for sharing the love of Jesus Christ with those who are hurting. If that sounds like you,prayerfully consider joining us. As Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful, and but the laborers are few” (Matthew 9:37). “Is there a sense of urgency? Yes there is!” Edward Graham Assistant to the Vice President,Programs & Government Relations Apply Now[https://s3.theark.cloud/sp-comm-arkfiles/website/images/dart/img/Cross.svg]
Source: samaritanspurse.org