• Public Health Library

  • 30 minutes

  • 1 Module

An Introduction to Emergency Public Health (Short Course)

FREE

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Description
This beginner-friendly short course provides a clear introduction to public health and its role in emergency preparedness—no prior experience required.

You’ll start by learning what public health is and what it does, then explore the nature and impact of public health emergencies, including hazards, disasters, vulnerabilities, and risks.

The course also covers how national frameworks guide preparedness and response, including the National Response Framework (NRF), National Incident Management System (NIMS), and the Emergency Management Cycle, with a focus on the role of public health within these systems.

By the end of this course, you’ll gain a foundational understanding of public health emergency preparedness along with practical resources to continue building your knowledge.

Objectives

  1. Explain the concept of public health. Distinguish public health from health care, and highlight its cultural dimensions and essential functions, fostering a comprehensive understanding of how public health promotes well-being.
  2. Describe the nature and impact of public health emergencies: Understand hazards, disasters, vulnerabilities, and risks; define public health emergencies; and identify types of disasters and their effects on communities.
  3. Apply national frameworks to public health emergency preparedness: Explain the National Response Framework (NRF), National Incident Management System (NIMS), Emergency Management Cycle, and the role of public health within these systems.

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Rocky Mountains & High Plains Center for Emergency Public Health

Founded in 2024, the Center is housed within the Division of Public Health at the University of Utah. We are dedicated to partnering with public health professionals and communities to transform evidence into actionable solutions that strengthen preparedness, response, and recovery in the face of public health emergencies and disasters. Guided by our mission and vision, we strive to be the trusted academic resource for emergency public health—advancing science and practice through research, training, and service.