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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Emergency preparedness and response

Emergency Preparedness Handbook for Tribal Governments
Describes strategies for developing and implementing plans for disaster management on tribal lands. Includes sample emergency plans and a list of federal and tribal online resources for emergency preparedness and response.
Author(s): Jon Mielke, Dick Winchell, Ashley Murphy
Date: 12/2014
Type: Document
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How EMS in Rural Methow Valley, Washington, Coped with a Devastating Wildfire
Describes the emergency medical service (EMS) response in the aftermath of a wildfire, in which patients and providers were cut off from hospitals, 911 coverage, and power. Shows the importance of advanced preparedness and planning by rural EMS agencies.
Author(s): Cindy Button
Citation: JEMS (Journal of Emergency Medical Services), 39(10), 46-9
Date: 10/2014
Type: Document
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Responding to Medical Surge in Rural Communities: Practices for Immediate Bed Availability
Describes strategies and practices that enable local health departments and healthcare organizations serving rural areas to assist their communities during emergencies resulting in medical surge. Explores ways to ensure adequate levels of care for all patients, including telehealth services and integrated information sharing systems.
Date: 09/2014
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Association of County and City Health Officials
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Perceptions of Disaster Risk and Vulnerability in Rural Texas
Describes how rural communities are vulnerable to natural hazards such as drought, wildfires, and floods. Provides a demographic overview of rural Texas and discusses vulnerability, risk, and disaster planning. Discusses how rural places are home to people with characteristics that increase vulnerability to impacts of disaster, such as lower incomes and lower levels of education.
Author(s): Andrew J. Prelog, Lee M. Miller
Citation: Journal of Rural Social Sciences, 28(3), 1-31
Date: 2013
Type: Document
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Regional Resilience: Research and Policy Brief
Summarizes research on disaster resiliency. Provides a framework for assessing current policy and practice as it relates to regional resilience. Includes rural areas.
Author(s): Brian Dabson, Colleen M. Heflin, Kathleen K. Miller
Date: 02/2012
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute
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Determinants of Emergency Response Willingness in the Local Public Health Workforce by Jurisdictional and Scenario Patterns: A Cross-Sectional Survey
Examines 4 urban and 4 rural local health departments' willingness to respond to naturally-occurring and terrorism-related emergency scenarios. Includes data on characteristics and comparison of willingness-to-respond between urban and rural respondents.
Author(s): Daniel J. Barnett, Carol B. Thompson, Nicole A. Errett, et al.
Citation: BMC Public Health, 12, 164
Date: 2012
Type: Document
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Rural and Suburban Population Surge Following Detonation of an Improvised Nuclear Device: A New Model to Estimate Impact
Reports on a study to predict the consequences of an urban-to-rural evacuation following a nuclear terrorist attack. Examines the adverse effects that a mass exodus would have on the existing resources and infrastructure of destination communities, and highlights the need for effective advance planning for potential rural population surges resulting from disasters in urban areas.
Author(s): Michael Meit, Irwin Redlener, Thomas W. Briggs, et al.
Citation: Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 5, Suppl. 1
Date: 2011
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Medical Association
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Preparedness and Response to a Rural Mass Casualty Incident: Workshop Summary
Discusses problems in contacting emergency medical services when incidents occur in rural areas, such as delayed assistance, limited or no cell phone service, limited access to land lines, no 911 service, transportation, lack of hospital resources, and distances between hospitals and incident sites.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Kristin Viswanathan, Theresa Wizemann, Bruce Altevogt
Date: 2011
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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From Hospitals to Healthcare Coalitions: Transforming Health Preparedness and Response in Our Communities
Summarizes progress that states and hospitals, along with the public health and emergency management communities, made from 2007-2009 in the Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP). Serves as a guide in healthcare preparedness and response successful models and as an educational tool for legislators, funding recipients and other key stakeholders. Mentions rural throughout.
Date: 2010
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Rural Health Roundtables: A Strategy for Collaborative Engagement In and Between Rural Communities
Explores a strategy for relationship building within rural communities in order to overcome resource deficits when responding to public health emergencies and natural disasters.
Author(s): CL Pennel, SK Carpender, BJ Quiram
Citation: Rural and Remote Health, 8(4), 1054
Date: 11/2008
Type: Document
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