Northwest Preparedness & Emergency Response Research Center (NWPERRC)

Communication saves lives.

In an emergency, communication can mean the difference between life and death.  That’s why we are conducting research to determine the best ways to use communication technology to reach essential and vulnerable audiences with critical emergency information.  These audiences include limited English proficient populations (native Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese, and Spanish speakers), Native American, rural, and urban young adults, deaf and hard of hearing people, and health care providers. Research findings will have immediate practice implications for public health communication policies and practices.

Collaboration with health practitioners and community organizations is a strong component of the Northwest Preparedness and Emergency Response Research Center (NWPERRC). These partnerships include local and state public health departments, as well as tribal and community-based organizations serving a diverse set of communities. Each research project has partners related to its specific area of focus.  In addition, the NWPERRC Community Advisory Board engages leaders from local and state public health programs and tribal organizations in the Northwest region, providing an opportunity for the exchange of ideas on research directions and dissemination of findings.

The NWPERRC is one of nine PERRCs funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Click here for NWPERRC brochure (low resolution PDF 369KB).