1. Internship Abstract
Title: Durable Medical Equipment
Name: Lester Julian McRae
Preceptor: Michael Prasad, Director of Disaster Support Functions
Agency: The American Red Cross - North Jersey Region
Purpose: To analyze knowledge and expand awareness about the importance of having the
necessary durable medical equipment (DME) available at shelters throughout New Jersey during
a disaster.
Significance: Disaster relief is one of the key services areas that the American Red Cross
provides during an emergency. The American Red Cross designs disaster relief plans that
increase execution and decrease the amount of adversity faced when a disaster strikes. Durable
medical equipment is used by people with Access and Functional Needs (AFNs) to maintain
their independence. After an emergency or disaster strikes, some people arrive at shelters without
the durable medical equipment (DME) that they require to maintain their AFNs (FEMA, 2015).
Method/Approach: Request durable medical equipment in the form of donations or loan
agreements from healthcare organizations and facilities such as hospitals, nursing homes,
hospices, and assisted living facilities for use in the event of a disaster striking the region.
Durable medical equipment includes among other items wheelchairs, walkers, 4-prong canes,
and shower chairs. These key items will be stored along with the rest of the inventory in shelter
trailers only to be distributed to shelters during a disaster (FEMA, 2015). Other DME may be
obtained from partners on demand.
Outcomes: This study will give northern New Jersey health care facilities an alternative to
disposing durable medical equipment. The American Red Cross will be able to form agreements
with these facilities to receive this donated equipment on a frequent basis and establish
partnerships for loaning of equipment during disasters.
Evaluation: This study was evaluated by placing a sufficient amount of equipment at each
American Red Cross trailer supporting each county in the Red Cross Region. Calls to providers
resulted in 6 wheelchairs, 36 walkers, 16 commodes, 21 canes, and 21 pairs of crutches added as
donations to the Red Cross, which are key components to 6 shelter trailers.