Emergency Preparedness

This page highlights important tools for clinicians as well as diagnoses to consider when caring for disaster-affected patients.

This toolkit is intended to guide local public health agency staff in (1) developing, implementing, and evaluating emergency drills and exercises, and (2) facilitating the public health aspects of larger, multiagency emergency exercise events. The toolkit provides essential guidance including templates, checklists, and forms to assist with every stage of the exercise process. Emphasis is on identification of objectives during the planning phase, a critical step for ensuring a meaningful post-exercise evaluation.

The Workbook provides a process that can support state, local,and tribal planners as they advance in their efforts to reach all populations—and specifically, special populations—in day-today communication and during crisis or emergency situations.

The Workbook is divided into three primary sections, each representing a major stage in the process of communicating with special populations,and provides a baseline of research plus selected resources that should substantially reduce the work required of health departments to begin this process.