Addressing Community Needs in Emergency Preparedness and Response
Public health emergencies and disasters can have severe, devastating, and ongoing impacts. In particular, rural communities face challenges related to the availability of resources, infrastructure, and geography. These challenges can make it difficult for rural communities to prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies and disasters. For more information on emergency preparedness and response considerations for rural communities, see the Rural Emergency Preparedness and Response topic guide.
Planning can help rural communities more effectively deal with and mitigate the negative effects of emergencies and disasters, both in the short and long term. Developing a response plan can minimize the effects of an emergency and expedite response and recovery efforts. See Rural Community Planning for Emergency Preparedness and Response for more information on developing a response plan.
Addressing Needs of Populations at Increased Risk of Adverse Outcomes
Within rural communities, certain populations may be at increased risk of adverse outcomes from an emergency due to “their capacity to anticipate, cope with, resist, and recover from the impact.” Factors that may contribute to an individual being disproportionately affected by an emergency include:
- Socioeconomic status, including employment status, income, housing, and education level
- Age, particularly older adults and young children
- Sex
- Medical issues and disability, including populations with access and functional needs
It is important to identify and plan to meet the needs of population groups that may be at greater risk of adverse outcomes following an emergency or disaster. This assessment is the first step to ensuring that all people in the community receive the information and support needed during an emergency.
See Population Considerations for Emergency Preparedness and Response, for more information about specific population considerations. For additional planning information and resources, see Rural Community Planning for Emergency Preparedness and Response.
Additional Considerations in Emergency Preparedness and Response Programs
Rural communities have historically experienced challenges and health disparities that include, for example, underinvestment and limited access to healthcare services.
Effective emergency preparedness and response can only be achieved by actively engaging a wide variety of community members, partners, and collaborators on an ongoing basis. Doing so ensures that a broad range of considerations are integrated into response plans. Response plans should ensure accessible communications during an emergency, for example. The National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) in Health and Health Care are intended to improve the quality of services delivered to all people.