
The DR2 Program encourages training and education for people who may conduct research in a public health emergency or a disaster-affected area. Resources, such as workshops, training exercises, and informational materials, are available to help researchers prepare for deployment and conduct disaster-related research.
Training Workshops
DR2 Workshop Assessment Report
Workshop Assessment (679KB)
In 2017, DR2 assessed the impact of its training workshops on federal, state, and local stakeholders. The assessment indicated that workshops successfully built awareness and networks, improved capacity for disaster research, and inspired new disaster research activities. The final report includes program metrics and survey questions used in the assessment.
The DR2 program hosts training workshops around the country to:
- Empower stakeholders to identify and strengthen local capabilities for conducting research.
- Introduce the concept of disaster research.
- Promote collaboration.
Workshops include people from local, state, and federal agencies, universities and research institutes, industry, and community groups.
DR2 plans and conducts training workshops in partnership with local host institutions. Participants consider a specific disaster scenario that might pose an environmental health threat within their community. Participants discuss conducting research in the scenario context. They identify what they will need to design or improve a research plan, implement vital data collection, and coordinate stakeholders as part of the potential response.
2019 Tucson, Arizona
Mock train derailment

Partners: University of Arizona College of Medicine-Tucson, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Helath, College of Pharmacy, Bio-5 Insitute
- News article: NIEHS preps for disaster, health research with derailment scenario
- Participant guide (2MB)
- Video summary
- Workshop report (4MB)
2016 Boston, Massachusetts
Nor'easter storm in coastal community

Partners: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Regional Office, University of Massachusetts-Lowell, Boston University School of Public Health, City of Chelsea Board of Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Department of Environmental Health
- News article: Anniversary event highlights Superfund and disaster response programs
- Participant guide (1MB)
- Video summary
- Workshop report (841KB)
2015 Houston, Texas
Hurricane

Partners: University of Texas Medical Branch, University of Texas Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health
- News article: NIEHS highlights public health and disaster research at oil spill conference
- Participant guide (309KB)
- Video summary
- Workshop report (1MB)
2014 Los Angeles, California
Tsunami

Partners: University of California at Los Angeles Labor Occupational Safety and Health Program
NIEHS Worker Training Program Resources
The NIEHS Worker Training Program provides occupational safety and health training on hazardous materials for disaster responders and workers, as well as people who will conduct research in a disaster setting. Materials are available through the National Clearinghouse for Worker Safety and Health Training.
Materials are available on the topics below, and others:
Other Training Modules and Resources
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Emergency Responder Health Monitoring Surveillance (ERHMS)™
The NIOSH ERHMS framework provides training resources and tools for implementing health monitoring and surveillance of emergency response workers.
National Science Foundation (NSF) - Natural Hazards Center CONVERGE Training Modules
CONVERGE is an NSF-funded initiative based at the Natural Hazards Center at the University of Colorado Boulder. CONVERGE advances social science, engineering, and interdisciplinary research, and establishes and strengthens networks between disciplinary communities.
- Collecting and Sharing Perishable Data Training Module
- Conducting Emotionally Challenging Research Training Module
- Cultural Competence in Hazards and Disaster Research
- Disaster Mental Health
- Institutional Review Board (IRB) Procedures and Extreme Events Research
- Social Vulnerability and Disasters
- Understanding and Ending Gender-Based Violence in Fieldwork
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Emergency Management Institute
The Emergency Management Institute develops courses and delivers training focused on emergency management to enhance stakeholders’ capacity to respond to disasters and public health emergencies.
- Incident Command System and National Incident Management System
- Preparing for Federal Disaster Operations: FEMA Response Partners
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