Show navigation

Emergency Response Unit (ERU)

ERU team members evacuating a Pakistani mountain village

The DEMIRA Emergency Response Unit (ERU) is a quick reaction task force founded as a reaction to the tsunami catastrophe at Christmas 2004. In an emergency the ERU can be deployed within short time (the average deployment time is twelve hours) to carry out medical help in areas affected by war or natural disasters. The duration of a deployment depends on the conditions at the area of operations and may vary between a few weeks and several months.

The main tasks of the ERU are:

  • medical emergency assistance
  • evacuation and transfer of injured people to the nearest hospital
  • support of local hospitals with treatment of patients
  • extension of medical assistance by operating mobile hospitals
  • distribution and supply of medical and relief goods

The ERU team consists of experienced doctors, surgeons and paramedics, as well as technical and logistics personnel, most of them are volunteers. The ERU always works in close cooperation with the local medical personnel.

The ERU staff treats their patients in a tent based hospital with a small laboratory, where ambulation and admission is possible. The doctors are also capable of performing smaller surgical interventions, while patients with complicated injuries are transferred to the next clinic by the ERU. Due to its modular concept the whole hospital can be stored in small portable boxes, what allows to transport it in remote areas.