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Utilization of Functional Exercises to Build Regional Emergency Preparedness among Rural Health Organizations in the US

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 January 2017

Jannah M. Obaid ,
Ginger Bailey ,
Heidi Wheeler ,
Laura Meyers ,
Sharon J. Medcalf ,
Keith F. Hansen ,
Kristine K. Sanger  and
John J. Lowe Open the ORCID record for John J. Lowe [Opens in a new window]
Jannah M. Obaid
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental, Agricultural & Occupational Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Public Health, Omaha, Nebraska
Ginger Bailey
Affiliation:
Rural Region One Medical Response System, Bancroft, Nebraska
Heidi Wheeler
Affiliation:
West Central Medical Response System, McCook, Nebraska Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department, McCook, Nebraska
Laura Meyers
Affiliation:
Tri-Cities Medical Response System, Kearney, Nebraska
Sharon J. Medcalf
Affiliation:
Center for Preparedness Education, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Public Health, Omaha, Nebraska Department of Health Promotion, Social & Behavioral Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Public Health, Omaha, Nebraska
Keith F. Hansen
Affiliation:
Center for Preparedness Education, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Public Health, Omaha, Nebraska Department of Health Services Research & Administration, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Public Health, Omaha, Nebraska
Kristine K. Sanger
Affiliation:
Center for Preparedness Education, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Public Health, Omaha, Nebraska
John J. Lowe*
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental, Agricultural & Occupational Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Public Health, Omaha, Nebraska Center for Preparedness Education, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Public Health, Omaha, Nebraska
*
Correspondence: John J. Lowe, PhD Department of Environmental, Agricultural & Occupational Health University of Nebraska Medical Center 984388 Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, Nebraska 68198-4388 USA E-mail: jjlowe@unmc.edu
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Abstract

Rural communities face barriers to disaster preparedness and considerable risk of disasters. Emergency preparedness among rural communities has improved with funding from federal programs and implementation of a National Incident Management System. The objective of this project was to design and implement disaster exercises to test decision making by rural response partners to improve regional planning, collaboration, and readiness. Six functional exercises were developed and conducted among three rural Nebraska (USA) regions by the Center for Preparedness Education (CPE) at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (Omaha, Nebraska USA). A total of 83 command centers participated. Six functional exercises were designed to test regional response and command-level decision making, and each 3-hour exercise was followed by a 3-hour regional after action conference. Participant feedback, single agency debriefing feedback, and regional After Action Reports were analyzed. Functional exercises were able to test command-level decision making and operations at multiple agencies simultaneously with limited funding. Observations included emergency management jurisdiction barriers to utilization of unified command and establishment of joint information centers, limited utilization of documentation necessary for reimbursement, and the need to develop coordinated public messaging. Functional exercises are a key tool for testing command-level decision making and response at a higher level than what is typically achieved in tabletop or short, full-scale exercises. Functional exercises enable evaluation of command staff, identification of areas for improvement, and advancing regional collaboration among diverse response partners.

ObaidJM, BaileyG, WheelerH, MeyersL, MedcalfSJ, HansenKF, SangerKK, LoweJJ. Utilization of Functional Exercises to Build Regional Emergency Preparedness among Rural Health Organizations in the US. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(2):224–230.

Keywords

coalitiondisasteremergency preparednessexerciseresponse
Type
Special Reports
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 32 , Issue 2 , April 2017 , pp. 224 - 230
Copyright
© World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2017 

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Footnotes

Conflicts of interest: none

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