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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Emergency preparedness and response

Rural Domestic Preparedness Consortium Online Training
Offers no-cost online disaster preparedness training for rural first responders. All courses are certified by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and some courses may require prerequisites.
Type: Tutorial/Training
Sponsoring organization: Rural Domestic Preparedness Consortium
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COVID-19 in Appalachia
Offers information, data, and resources for addressing COVID-19 in the Appalachian region. Includes county level COVID-19 confirmed case counts with economic status and its impact on key socioeconomic indicators.
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Appalachian Regional Commission
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CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index (SVI)
Identifies communities that may need support to prepare for and recover from disasters. Offers rankings by census tract based on 16 U.S. Census indicators focused on four themes: socioeconomic status; household composition; race, ethnicity, and language; and housing and transportation.
Additional links: County Maps, Interactive Map
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Community Resilience Estimates
Offers state and county profiles focused on community resilience, the capacity of community members to deal with and recover from a disaster and its related health, social, and economic impacts. Identifies risk factors for households and individuals, such as poverty level, unemployment, language barriers, and health status, and shares the risk factor results by county within each state and by census tract within each county. Also provides access to a supplemental data set focused on social vulnerability and equity.
Additional links: Community Resilience Estimates Equity Supplement (CRE for Equity)
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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CMS Coronavirus Waivers & Flexibilities
Lists Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) waivers and flexibilities available to healthcare providers to ensure healthcare access during the COVID-19 pandemic. Includes blanket waivers and fact sheets for specific types of providers, as well as approved states' other coronavirus 1135 waivers.
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Federal Emergency Management Agency: Training and Education
Information and resources for the training of first responders from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Features information for emergency managers, tribal representatives, and volunteer agencies.
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Federal Emergency Management Agency
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CDC: Emergency Preparedness and Response
Presents resources for emergency preparedness and response. Features an information exchange, webinars, trainings, and other resources for healthcare professionals and first responders.
Additional links: En Español
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN)
Resources to help Cooperative Extension Services aid citizens affected by disasters. Addresses a wide range of hazards, including natural and man-made disasters.
Type: Website
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The EMS Compact
Information on the agreement enabling emergency medical service (EMS) personnel licensed in Compact member states to cross state borders to practice and work in other Compact states without getting an EMS license in the remote state. Describes ways in which this agreement may enhance communities' responses to COVID-19 when local resources are reduced. Includes a map showing locations of EMS Compact states and contact information for each member state's Compact Commissioner.
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Interstate Commission for EMS Personnel Practice
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Rural Disaster Health
A collection of resources highlighting guidance for and lessons learned by healthcare practitioners serving rural and tribal communities. Features categories including Critical Access Hospitals, education and training, tribal health resources, and surge planning from urban to rural areas.
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response
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