Integration of health departments, emergency management and community stakeholders in pandemic influenza planning and response in South Dakota

To effectively plan for and respond to public health emergencies in rural communities, public health and other health professionals must engage the community at large in the planning process by integrating a broader group of local stakeholders to participate in infrastructure building and rural emergency response planning processes. This integration is particularly important in pandemic flu planning and response. To implement this planning process among community stakeholders in South Dakota, the USA Center for Rural Public Health Preparedness, partnering with the Department of Health and the State Office of Emergency Management, conducted a series of pandemic influenza planning trainings and Rural Preparedness Roundtables in four locations throughout the State of South Dakota.

The trainings were designed to provide participants with information about developing a pandemic flu plan, identifying the roles and responsibilities of emergency management and public health at the state and local levels, and conducting a needs assessment. Training objectives were developed with representation from all three partners.

The Rural Preparedness Roundtables, a strategy to engage and empower community members, brought together the local stakeholders to engage in face-to-face discussions, serving as a catalyst to build stakeholder networks for rural communities, share best practices, and incorporate the broader community voice into pandemic influenza response planning processes.