Rural Emergency Preparedness and Response – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Emergency Preparedness and Response.
Emergency Management Resource Guide
An overview of features and functions of the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network (FirstNet), which agencies might use before, during, and after an emergency. Covers topics applicable for coordinating response in rural and remote areas or when an emergency operations center has been activated. Includes reference links and suggestions for obtaining additional information.
Date: 06/2022
Sponsoring organization: FirstNet Authority
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An overview of features and functions of the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network (FirstNet), which agencies might use before, during, and after an emergency. Covers topics applicable for coordinating response in rural and remote areas or when an emergency operations center has been activated. Includes reference links and suggestions for obtaining additional information.
Date: 06/2022
Sponsoring organization: FirstNet Authority
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Building Trust in Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response (PHEPR) Science: Proceedings of a Workshop—in Brief
Summarizes findings from a March 2022 workshop focused on trustworthiness of Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response (PHEPR) institutions and researchers. Discusses how to promote trust in public health agencies and establishing communication strategies to address misinformation. Includes cultural issues related to rural and tribal communities.
Additional links: Read Online
Date: 03/2022
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Summarizes findings from a March 2022 workshop focused on trustworthiness of Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response (PHEPR) institutions and researchers. Discusses how to promote trust in public health agencies and establishing communication strategies to address misinformation. Includes cultural issues related to rural and tribal communities.
Additional links: Read Online
Date: 03/2022
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Disaster Recovery: School Districts in Socially Vulnerable Communities Faced Heightened Challenges after Recent Natural Disasters
Examines 5 school districts in socially vulnerable communities and describes problems faced by students after disasters, including housing instability, food insecurity, and lack of access to mental health services, especially in rural communities. Includes a state- and territory-level map showing school districts that received federal recovery grants for 2017-2019 presidentially-declared disasters.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 01/2022
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Examines 5 school districts in socially vulnerable communities and describes problems faced by students after disasters, including housing instability, food insecurity, and lack of access to mental health services, especially in rural communities. Includes a state- and territory-level map showing school districts that received federal recovery grants for 2017-2019 presidentially-declared disasters.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 01/2022
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Caring for People with Serious Illness: Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic: Proceedings from a Workshop
Proceedings from a three-part workshop to explore the initial responses to the pandemic by healthcare teams providing care to people with serious illness, the impact of the pandemic on the healthcare workforce, use of telehealth, issues related to communicating with the public about health emergencies, and policy opportunities to improve care for people with serious illness. Mentions rural throughout.
Additional links: Read Online
Date: 2022
Sponsoring organization: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Proceedings from a three-part workshop to explore the initial responses to the pandemic by healthcare teams providing care to people with serious illness, the impact of the pandemic on the healthcare workforce, use of telehealth, issues related to communicating with the public about health emergencies, and policy opportunities to improve care for people with serious illness. Mentions rural throughout.
Additional links: Read Online
Date: 2022
Sponsoring organization: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Beyond the Headlines: Funding Disasters in Rural Communities
Recording of a December 9, 2021, webinar with panelists from three nonprofits discussing a variety of responses funders can offer when assisting in the disaster recovery efforts of rural communities. Responses include: hiring language or cultural-specific staff; helping survivors access government assistance; supporting community coalitions or long-term recovery groups; and collaborating with regional organizations to build resilience, response, and recovery networks.
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Center for Disaster Philanthropy
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Recording of a December 9, 2021, webinar with panelists from three nonprofits discussing a variety of responses funders can offer when assisting in the disaster recovery efforts of rural communities. Responses include: hiring language or cultural-specific staff; helping survivors access government assistance; supporting community coalitions or long-term recovery groups; and collaborating with regional organizations to build resilience, response, and recovery networks.
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Center for Disaster Philanthropy
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What a Pandemic Has Taught Us About the Potential for Innovation in Rural Health: Commencing an Ethnography in Canada, the United States, Sweden, and Australia
Examines success stories of rural communities responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilizes ethnographic research to explore healthcare response in communities with fewer than 7,000 inhabitants and not near large healthcare centers.
Author(s): Samuel Petrie, Dean Carson, Paul Peters, et al.
Citation: Frontiers in Public Health, 9
Date: 12/2021
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Examines success stories of rural communities responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilizes ethnographic research to explore healthcare response in communities with fewer than 7,000 inhabitants and not near large healthcare centers.
Author(s): Samuel Petrie, Dean Carson, Paul Peters, et al.
Citation: Frontiers in Public Health, 9
Date: 12/2021
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Ensuring Equity in Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery
Video of testimony presented to the House Committee on Homeland Security on Oct. 27, 2021. Discusses disaster-related disparities and inequities in tribal, minority, underserved, and rural communities, and offers recommendations for improvement. Includes links for transcripts.
Additional links: Testimony by Chauncia Willis, Institute for Diversity and Inclusion in Emergency Management, Testimony by Christopher Currie, Government Accountability Office, Testimony by James Joseph, Tidal Basin Government Consulting, Testimony by Lori Peek, Natural Hazards Center, University of Colorado Boulder
Author(s): Lori Peek, Chauncia Willis, Christopher Currie, James Joseph
Date: 10/2021
Sponsoring organization: House Committee on Homeland Security
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Video of testimony presented to the House Committee on Homeland Security on Oct. 27, 2021. Discusses disaster-related disparities and inequities in tribal, minority, underserved, and rural communities, and offers recommendations for improvement. Includes links for transcripts.
Additional links: Testimony by Chauncia Willis, Institute for Diversity and Inclusion in Emergency Management, Testimony by Christopher Currie, Government Accountability Office, Testimony by James Joseph, Tidal Basin Government Consulting, Testimony by Lori Peek, Natural Hazards Center, University of Colorado Boulder
Author(s): Lori Peek, Chauncia Willis, Christopher Currie, James Joseph
Date: 10/2021
Sponsoring organization: House Committee on Homeland Security
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Disaster Resiliency and Recovery Resources: A Guide for Rural Communities
Provides an overview of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development (RD) programs and services for rural residents, businesses, and communities impacted by disasters, as well as programs that support long-term planning and recovery efforts. Includes information on technical assistance providers to help rural planning and recovery efforts. Highlights examples of how three rural communities used USDA RD programs to aid their recovery.
Date: 09/2021
Sponsoring organization: USDA Rural Development
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Provides an overview of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development (RD) programs and services for rural residents, businesses, and communities impacted by disasters, as well as programs that support long-term planning and recovery efforts. Includes information on technical assistance providers to help rural planning and recovery efforts. Highlights examples of how three rural communities used USDA RD programs to aid their recovery.
Date: 09/2021
Sponsoring organization: USDA Rural Development
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Flood Risk is Higher in Rural and Disadvantaged Communities
Examines how flood risk varies based on rural or urban location and socioeconomic or demographic composition, using data from the 48 lower U.S. states. Features statistics on average percentage of properties at risk of flooding, with breakdowns by urban, large rural, small rural, and isolated areas. Offers recommendations for preparing evacuation and resource distribution materials and creating partnerships with local service agencies, especially in areas with large populations of older adults.
Author(s): Danielle Rhubart, Yue Sun
Date: 07/2021
Sponsoring organizations: Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion, Penn State Population Research Institute
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Examines how flood risk varies based on rural or urban location and socioeconomic or demographic composition, using data from the 48 lower U.S. states. Features statistics on average percentage of properties at risk of flooding, with breakdowns by urban, large rural, small rural, and isolated areas. Offers recommendations for preparing evacuation and resource distribution materials and creating partnerships with local service agencies, especially in areas with large populations of older adults.
Author(s): Danielle Rhubart, Yue Sun
Date: 07/2021
Sponsoring organizations: Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion, Penn State Population Research Institute
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HHS Maternal-Child Health Emergency Planning Toolkit
Toolkit developed for healthcare providers, public health professionals, and social services providers focused on improving and addressing maternal and child health during emergencies. Provides resources, promising practices, and case studies related to planning for emergency preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation for women who are pregnant or postpartum, infants, and young children. Includes discussion on the needs of underserved and rural populations during emergencies.
Date: 05/2021
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Toolkit developed for healthcare providers, public health professionals, and social services providers focused on improving and addressing maternal and child health during emergencies. Provides resources, promising practices, and case studies related to planning for emergency preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation for women who are pregnant or postpartum, infants, and young children. Includes discussion on the needs of underserved and rural populations during emergencies.
Date: 05/2021
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Additional resources are available related to this guide. See the full list of resources by topic for:
Last Updated: 3/27/2025