LOS ANGELES — When disaster strikes anywhere in the world, it's the International Medical Corps based in Los Angeles that acts as first response to every major disaster of the last 30 years.

On this episode of COVID-19: Just the Facts, Spectrum News1 anchor Giselle Fernandez talks with CEO Nancy Aossey of the IMC.

The IMC provides emergency relief to those struck by disaster all around the world while also working with local communities to help them recover and rebuild after major setbacks.

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They are stepping up during the COVID-19 pandemic by setting up field hospitals and medical shelters in areas of high medical need both in the U.S. and abroad. 

"With what's happening with COVID-19, we immediately started focusing right here in our own hometown," Aossey said.

The IMC is working with hospitals in the L.A. area to help them better manage the overflow of patients they are seeing due to the pandemic.

Aossey says the IMC always focuses on the greatest needs and gaps in the community.

"We tend to look at those hospitals that are under-resourced and those hospitals that see lots of people but don't always have all the support that they need," she said.

Aossey says the IMC is fundamentally a training organization, focusing on providing extra knowledge and training to people in the communities they support in order for them to be prepared moving forward.

"The way to build resilience is truly to help people help themselves," she said. "We're essentially a trade union, an education organization, and that's really where we focus our work."

According to Aossey, people have been coming forward time and time again in the Los Angeles area, asking how they can help and support the IMC's efforts. 

She has been with the IMC for 34 years and says she has seen the power of human resilience. 

"We're going to get through this one," she said. "It will make us stronger the next time."