# 8719
While I can’t tell you where the next big public health or community crisis in this country will be, or what event will cause it, I can tell you that the ability of local emergency operations, EMS, healthcare organizations, businesses, schools, and community and faith-based organizations to respond - in concert with federal and state authorities – will determine just how big of a negative impact it will ultimately have.
Which is why I try to highlight the Public Health Practices project - a freely accessible repository of public health tools and strategies, sponsored by CIDRAP at the University of Minnesota– once or twice a year.
Their website describes themselves as:
Public Health Practices (PHP) is a curated compendium of tools, strategies, and downloadables created by US health agencies and partners to prepare for and respond to the health consequences of disasters and emergencies.
Practitioners can search the one-stop shop of real-world resources by hazard, strategy, partners, geography, groups being served, agency, tool, language, and key word. PHP encourages peer-to-peer exchange of practices by accepting submissions to the site, showcasing examples in theme-based email newsletters, and hosting social media channels for practitioners.
Public Health Practices features:
- More than 400 practices addressing a wide range of hazards
- Successful coalitions and details about what made them possible
- In-depth stories on how projects were created
- Communication materials in 40 languages to download or adapt
- A robust search tool that allows users to apply filters to narrow results as needed
- A simple submissions process to encourage practitioners to share their work
- Peer-to-peer information exchange via social media (Twitter and, soon, LinkedIn)
While originally pandemic influenza centric, over the past few years Public Health Practices has broadened its scope to include more than just a pandemic response. You’ll find tools and practices that cover a wide range of public health concerns, including chemical, radiological, and natural disasters.
From Bioterrorism to Volcanoes, Public Health Practices has you covered. You’ll find ample resources, including toolkits, outlines, and training modules available.
The task of creating emergency & disaster plans for agencies, organizations, communities, and businesses can be a daunting one, particularly now when resources (read: time, money, & personnel) are in short supply. Fortunately, you don’t have to be a pioneer, since others have gone before you and are willing to share what they’ve learned.
In addition to the constantly expanding website, there is also a monthly email newsletter you can sign up for. You’ll find an incredible amount of great content on this site, so pack a lunch and plan to stay all day.
Whether you are looking for a specific solution, or simply looking for muse to inspire your organization’s emergency preparedness efforts, visiting Public Health Practices – and returning often – will likely pay tremendous dividends.
You can also follow Public Health Practices on twitter at @PHPractices.
Highly recommended.
