The Response by International Emergency Medical Teams Following the Beirut Harbor Explosion in 2020 - Who Were They, When Did They Arrive, What Did They Do, and Were They Needed?

A majority of the deployed I-EMT Type 2 were military and focused on trauma care rather than the normal burden of disease including COVID-19. Re-tasking of EMTs requires flexible EMTs. To be better adapted, the I-EMT response should be guided by a systematic assessment of both health care capacities in the affected country as well as the varying health effects of hazards before deployment.