Eugene, Ore. - August 5, 2008 - Members of the Oregon Disaster Medical
Team are preparing for a Tsunami that is scheduled to arrive along the
northern Oregon coast this weekend. While this is an exercise, it is an
important disaster scenario for the Pacific Northwest. Scientists tell
us, it is just a matter of time before we experience a real one.

The exercise will involve a tsunami wave strike on the Oregon Coast near
Astoria, deployment of a disaster medical strike team, patient
stabilization and transport. Long and short-range communications
between State and local medical and emergency management organizations,
emergency responders and military personnel are being exercised.

Dr. Helen Miller, co-founder and leader of the Oregon Disaster Medical
Team points out that "(Oregon is) fortunate to have some of the most
skilled and experienced disaster response personnel in the nation as
volunteers on our Oregon team." Miller added, "In a scenario such as
this exercise, our team will support the medical community and the
overall emergency response effort to help meet the increased demand for
services."

In addition to the tsunami disaster response exercise, ODMT will present
training sessions for its team members and testing of multiple portable
emergency communications systems.

Oregon's Disaster Medical Team (ODMT), a 501C3 non profit organization,
consists of approximately 140 members who are equipped, trained and
experienced to respond and provide relief healthcare services when
local, county and mutual aid resources are overwhelmed due to a mass
casualty incident or disaster event. Between training, exercises and
actual disasters, Oregon Disaster Medical Team also contributes toward
State efforts to enhance disaster medical planning and response in the
State of Oregon. ODMT deployed to Vernonia, Oregon in the wake of the
December 2007 winter storms and flooding.

ODMT sponsored and developed the Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT)
representing Oregon in the National Disaster Medical System since 1999.
The Oregon DMAT is Federalized and deployed by the Department of Health
and Human Services to disasters anywhere in the United States and
territories. Oregon DMAT has provided critical, self-contained medical
services at Tropical Storm Allison in Texas, the World Trade Center
after the 9/11/01 terrorist attacks in New York , 2002 Winter Olympics
in Utah, Typhoon Sudal on the south Pacific island of Micronesia, 2004
Hurricanes Frances and Ivan in Florida, and 2005 Hurricanes Katrina and
Rita in Mississippi and Louisiana. The team plans and participates in
annual, full-scale disaster exercises, most mostly recently TOPOFF4 in
Portland, OR, to ensure readiness and response capabilities are
essentially turn-key when needed most.

ODMT volunteers participating in this weekend's drill, based at Camp
Rilea are: Keith Ague, EMTP, Brush Prairie, WA; Michael Bamberger,
Emergency Manager, Corvallis; Bev Bauman, MD, Portland; Suzanne
Carlson, Administration, Portland; Rich Chatman, EMTP, Portland; Lori
Christianson, RN, Hammond; Kelly Christianson, RN, Portland, Greg Close,
EMT-I, Irrigon; Carl DiPaolo, Communications Officer, Eugene; Sandy
Dunbrasky, MD, Ontario; Heather Freiheit, RN, Ashland; Ralph Garono,
EMTB, Philomath; Colleen Grunow Ague, RPh/EMTB, Brush Prairie, WA;
Jeannie Hubbard, EMTB, Springfield; Raelene Jarvis, RN, Vancouver, WA;
Jon Jui, MD, Wilsonville; Anita Katz, NP, Portland; Dan Kearl,
Communications Officer, Philomath; Patti Kenyon, RN, Albany; Bobbie-Jo
Lawrence, EMTB, Walla Walla, WA; Joni Marcher, RN, Vancouver, WA; Helen
Miller, MD, Eugene; Tom Misner, EMT-I, Tolovana Beach; Steve Myren,
EMT-I, Boardman; Nan Newell, Public Health, Portland; Cynthia Parks,
RPh, Hermiston; Peggy Peirson, Emergency Manager, Philomath; Kurt
Pothast, EMTB, West Linn; Ethel Reeves, RN, Hood River; Peggy Roberti,
RN, Tolovana Beach; Julie Salmon, Security, Oregon City; Terri Schmidt,
MD, Portland; Sean Shanahan, EMTP/Security/Safety, Vancouver, WA;
Heather Stanquist, RN, Tigard; Eric Stroud, PA, Salem; Janie Swift, RN,
Cook, WA; Christie Wells, EMTP, West Linn; Susan Werner, RN, Portland;
and Colette Whelan, RN, Portland.

ODMT has partnered with Camp Rilea, US Coast Guard, Oregon Health
Preparedness Program, Providence Seaside Hospital, Columbia Memorial
Hospital, Pacific Communities Hospital, Seaside Tsunami Amateur Radio
Society, Sunset Empire Amateur Radio Club, Providence Seaside Hospital
Emergency Amateur Radio Team, Clatsop County ARES, Benton County
Amateur Radio Emergency Services, Lane County ARES, Oregon Department of
Forestry Repeater Network and Oregon Emergency Management in this event.
ODMT also thanks Medtronic, SAM Splints, Starbucks Coffee, ImageSense,
Wet Dog Brewery and Costco for their donations in support of this
training.