Tribal Emergency Operations and Training Center launches in Rapid City

RAPID CITY –The Great Plains Tribal Chairmen’s Health Board has launched a first-of-its-kind tribal public health Emergency Operations and Training Center (EOC).  The EOC will assist Great Plains tribal nations in their response to the COVID-19 pandemic and any future disasters.

The We Are Warriors Emergency Operations and Training Center established by the GPTCHB, with the assistance of Team Rubicon, will serve as an EOC for 18 tribal nations across a four-state region, and provide training on disaster mitigation to individuals from these areas. The EOC will also develop and implement culturally responsive public health emergency management plans and procedures in support of Great Plains Area tribal communities.

“Our ultimate goal is to improve the ability of tribal-nations to respond to large scale disasters. The EOC expands the capacity of tribal nations to meet the needs of their communities during a disaster.  Also, we improve our ability to aid them in these efforts,” said Jerilyn Church, CEO GPTCHB.

Located within the GPTCHB central office in Rapid City, the We Are Warriors EOC is staffed with public health experts from within, the GPTCHB community health and epidemiology programs, and the Oyate Health Center.

For media inquiries, please contact GPTCHB Communications Director and Public Information Officer Brandon Ecoffey at PIO@gptchb.org.

*The Great Plains Tribal Chairmen’s Health Board (GPTCHB) is dedicated to serving the health and wellness needs of the tribal members it represents. Assisting with the needs of 18 tribes and tribal communities in the four-state region of South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, and Iowa, GPTCHB addresses the health necessities of its members by assisting in accessing health-related programs and resources.

* Team Rubicon is a non-profit organization that focuses on serving vulnerable and at-risk populations affected by a disaster.

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