In the 2011 East Japan Great Earthquake over 200 DMAT immediately headed to the disaster stricken area.

Land lines and all mobile telephones had interrupted service. Radio communication could only be used at a short distance in one area. Satellite phones were the only means of communication, but since there were limited number of devices, power shortages. DMAT used a management browser called EMIS (Emergency Medical Information System) to exchange information and coordinate activity, but the internet itself did not work. Without communication equipment, the victims could not send or receive information and even DMAT had trouble understanding the situation. There was rumor of many victims in a wide range of isolated evacuation shelters that were left behind. The land was flooded, vehicles were carried away, the town was buried under debris and mud, and fires occurred one after another. The wounded and sick could not access hospitals immediately. Because of the blackout, the suspension of the water supply, and prospect of restoring heating were not in sight, an immediate confirmation of medical needs and triage of the sick and wounded were required. Therefore, as the disaster front headquarters, the fire department, police department, self-defense force, Japan Red Cross medical care relief squad, the city, the prefecture, and the public health center, many organizations in collaboration held meetings every day at 5:30 and 18:30 aiming to gather information and establish strong collaboration. Four teams from the Japan Red Cross medical care squad and 4 teams from the Ground Self-Defense force were dispatched in replacement of the insufficient DMAT to manage the disaster front. They restored roads and headed to isolated shelters and hospitals. With the cooperation of the Air Self-Defense Force, DMAT was sent by helicopter to an isolated peninsula.

We use helicopters, ambulances, and Self-Defense Force vehicles to transport as many patients to hospitals in other regions, because there was no place to return home. In one of the isolated hospitals, they had to use candlelight in a room temperature below zero, they were unable to use the aspirator, and four patients were already deceased. The remaining 38 inpatients were transported out of the disaster area and preventable death could be prevented.

Because the local staff suffered damage from the earthquake, all organizations consisted of groups dispatched from other regions. With a communications network not functioning in the disaster stricken area, it is necessary to exchange information and share the best plans. Taking this into perspective, having two disaster relief measures meetings in one day was very effective.