Now, medical practice can positively impact survival as ideas about the ethical duties of physicians during pandemics, natural disasters and other mass casualty incidents have changed. The unique skills of anesthesiologists make them valuable in early emergency response, for in-the-field management of casualties, triage, and intensive care unit and operating room management of victims. Physician ethical duties in disaster duties are strengthened by the restricted pool of qualified responders, due to the limitations on who can be trained in the medical profession. Physicians are not ethically obliged to risk their lives in emergency situations, but do have ethical duties to respond and perform non-life-threatening duties. Society has obligations to physician emergency responders, such as providing appropriate protective equipment, first line therapies such as vaccines, and treatment when illness or injury results from emergency response actions.