Southeastern Idaho Public Health (SIPH) conducts health preparedness training that encompasses many organizational levels throughout the agency and the region. We conduct this training to help prepare our staff, and response partners, for a variety of circumstances that may require jurisdiction-wide emergency response measures.

SIPH has an Initial Response Team that regularly participates in Incident Command training. This training includes both an overview of the Incident Command System (ICS) and practice of ICS roles through tabletop, functional, and full-scale emergency preparedness exercises. Following an "all-hazards" approach, SIPH implements this, and other related training to SIPH employees. The all-hazards approach is preferable, since our response to most incidents would be similar, whether it involves earthquakes, flood, a naturally-occurring disease outbreak, or a biological attack. SIPH also encourages and provides opportunities for staff to expand their preparedness skills by attending external trainings at the state, regional, and national level.

Upon request, SIPH provides training to our local hospitals on the Hospital Emergency Incident Command System (HEICS). This course generally includes an introduction to the ICS structure for hospitals and a tabletop exercise that is tailored to the rural nature of Southeast Idaho. In addition to providing training events, SIPH partners with local hospitals, emergency services, law enforcement, Homeland Security, private industry, and others to plan for timely, appropriate, and well-coordinated responses to public health emergencies.

In addition to the above, SIPH conducts training for our volunteer Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) on various topics, including smallpox vaccination, Strategic National Stockpile, and other preparedness-related topics.

Below, you will find links to recommended self-study courses that have been developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). These courses are especially relevant to organizations and individuals that are interested in learning more about emergency preparedness and response:

All the above Independent Study Courses are offered through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Some or all of them could be helpful in job performance improvement. A list of additional courses is available at http://training.fema.gov/IS/crslist.asp.

PRIVATE CITIZENS who are interested in gaining a better knowledge of preparedness can access other FEMA independent studies. SIPH recommends the following: