Every community is made up of diverse groups of residents with varied and sometimes complex everyday needs. Is your community prepared to handle those needs so that no resident is left behind? Meeting the Needs of Vulnerable Populations: Equity in Emergency Preparedness is a web toolkit that will help you organize, communicate and connect with your community.

The Pandemic Readiness and Response Toolkit was developed to empower communities to initiate a proper, measured response before an actual outbreak strikes the community. The Pandemic Readiness and Response toolkit was successfully used during the 2009-2010 H1N1 Pandemic by the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department and regional partners. About The Toolkit: The Pandemic Readiness and Response toolkit provides: Sample Transitional Medical Model templates for the following jurisdictions - urban county, suburban county, rural county with a hospital, and rural county without a hospital. Also included are resources to develop tabletop and functional exercises that automatically create customized materials, specific to your jurisdiction. These resources will provide an agency with cost efficient, adaptable exercises they can use in preparing and exercising their Pandemic plan. This toolkit has been designed to support NACCHO’s Project Public Health Ready goals.

The SPIVA Toolkit is for local health department staff and others involved in planning and implementing seasonal and pandemic influenza campaigns. The toolkit promotes community assessment as an emergency preparedness tool. Examples in the toolkit illustrate three data collection methods: key informant interviews, focus groups, and surveys. There are sections on identifying and engaging target populations and putting community assessment data to use. The toolkit includes a 7-step method to plan, implement, and manage surveys and discussion on using online tools. By using this product, staff members will be trained in practical survey and assessment techniques applicable to various public health functions. Expected outcomes are: to improve mass vaccination planning and coordination with private providers, community-based organizations, and other key public health partners; and increase staff awareness of local health conditions and potential gaps in public health preparedness to inform future preparedness planning. Onsite evaluation of this product by LHDs is pending.