Based in the Seattle, Washington area, Empact Northwest is a registered 501(c)(3) focusing on providing disaster relief, emergency medical training, and emergency medical systems development in developing nations. Empact is one of a very small group of non-governmental Urban Search & Rescue (USAR) Task Forces in the world and is the only internationally deployable non-governmental USAR Task Force in the United States. The Urban Search & Rescue Task Force utilizes highly trained volunteers from all walks of life, including firefighters, paramedics, physicians, nurses, and logistics professionals. EMPACT Northwest implements direct rescue operations and constitutes a force multiplier for local authorities. in past responses, EMPACT Northwest has worked with partners to deploy members to Haiti, Sierra Leone, Pakistan, and Japan. In Haiti alone, EMPACT has been able to deploy more than 25 teams of instructors and clinical providers, totaling over 250 volunteers. EMPACT achieves effectiveness and efficiency through a paramilitary organizational structure and a responsive nature when dealing with partners, volunteers, and recipients of its services. EMPACT also currently has eleven contract employees in Port-Au-Prince.