A Doctor on the Front Lines

Disasters, whether natural or man-made, are less a question of if they’ll happen, as opposed to where and when. Hurricanes, tornadoes, or industrial accidents—most, if not all, are unpredictable. Fortunately, when they occur, there are individuals prepared to respond with care that never quits despite the circumstance.

Laurie Bryant, DO, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine and Medical Director at UF Emergency & Urgent Care Center – Lane Avenue, is one of those people. Bryant, a former emergency medicine resident at UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville, proudly serves as the Medical Team Manager for Florida Task Force 5 Urban Search and Rescue. Since joining the task force in 2017, she has deployed to several hurricanes and urban rescue operations.

“They sent out an appeal for experts in the state and I jumped at the opportunity,” Bryant said. “My main priority in this role is to keep my team healthy, happy, and in the game when they are out in the field so we can deliver necessary care for victims in need of aid.”

Florida Task Force 5, which mainly consists of Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department members, requires physicians with emergency training, as disaster can strike at any time. Team members must be ready to deploy within hours.

“After notification of deployment, we have about six hours to gather our gear and equipment and then head to the impacted area,” Bryant said. Areas like the Surfside community in Miami, where 98 people died when the Champlain Towers South condominium collapsed in 2021. “Some missions are harder than others but our team helped identify loved ones and bring closure to such an unthinkable situation.”

In the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, Bryant and her team helped save a pregnant woman trapped in her home. “There was no way our team could get to her because of downed power lines and water,” Bryant said. “Transporting her to the nearest hospital with power was a challenge, but we ultimately got her medivaced to safety.”

Bryant emphasizes that their team doesn’t work alone. “We have great intel on the situations we’re going into,” she said. “It’s a collaborative effort.”

Providing medical relief after a disaster requires great skill and training. Reflecting on her seven years with the task force, Bryant often remembers these words: “Amateurs practice until they get it right. Pros practice until they can’t get it wrong.”

For physicians interested in joining a task force, Bryant encourages them to seize the opportunity if one arises. She is grateful to her UF Health colleagues who cover her patients while she’s away helping those in urgent need during a disaster.