The Rural Domestic Preparedness Consortium (RDPC) Overview
Training & Tools for Rural Responders

The nation’s rural emergency responders face unique challenges when compared to their urban counterparts. In recognizing the need for consistent, quality training which addresses those challenges, Congress and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) established the Rural Domestic Preparedness Consortium (RDPC or the Consortium) to develop and deliver relevant all-hazards training in support of rural homeland security requirements. See our course catalog for further details on each training program. All training delivered by the RDPC is certified by DHS and is offered tuition-free.

A New Approach

Led by Eastern Kentucky University, the Consortium is comprised of academic partners that possess extensive experience and niche capabilities in developing and delivering homeland security curriculum to the rural emergency response community. The RDPC is composed of the following academic partners, as well as other strategic partners who support its mission:

East Tennessee State University • Johnson City, Tennessee
Eastern Kentucky University • Richmond, Kentucky
Iowa Central Community College • Ft. Dodge, Iowa
NorthWest Arkansas Community College • Bentonville, Arkansas
The University of Findlay • Findlay, Ohio
North Carolina Central University • Durham, North Carolina

To ensure that training directly reflects the needs of rural emergency responders, the Consortium convenes a national rural preparedness summit and completes a bi-annual national survey of rural stakeholders. Data gathered from these activities is used to determine the type of training needs, the extent to which it is needed, and the best delivery methods.

The Consortium is guided by an Advisory Board comprised of public safety experts and officials appointed by the major national emergency response associations.

To schedule training delivery in your jurisdiction, please select the training from our course catalog and complete the form under the "Request Training" section.

For more information about the Consortium, contact Tom Lindquist, Director of the Consortium for RDPC, at 859-622-8106 or email Tom.Lindquist@eku.edu

Academic Partners

The RDPC is comprised of six academic institutions that possess extensive experience and unique capabilities in serving the rural emergency response community. Each institution develops U.S. Department of Homeland Security/FEMA-certified training programs to be delivered to communities across the Nation.

North Carolina Central University (NCCU), located in Durham, North Carolina, was chartered in 1909 and opened its doors to students in 1910 as the National Religious Training School and Chautauqua. In the following years, the school’s name changed to National Training School in 1915, Durham State Normal School in 1923, North Carolina College for Negroes in 1925 (making it the nation’s first state-supported liberal arts college for African-American students), North Carolina College at Durham in 1947, and finally North Carolina Central University in 1969. NCCU has been a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina System since 1972. Its mission has been to prepare students academically and professionally to become leaders. NCCU is a comprehensive institution, which offers bachelor’s degrees in more than 100 fields of study, and awards graduate degrees in an estimated 40 disciplines. With nearly 9,000 students enrolled, the historically black university is diverse.

East Tennessee State University (ETSU), in Johnson City, Tennessee, is an accredited academic institution with nationally-known community partnering approaches which promote rural health professions and education programs. ETSU offers Doctorate degrees in Medicine (M.D.), Public Health (D.P.H.), Pharmacy (Pharm.D.), Nursing (D.Sc.), Physical Therapy, and Environmental Sciences (Ph.D.) as well as programs at the Master's and Bachelor's level in nursing, and public and allied health. ETSU places a large percentage of medical school graduates and nurse practitioner graduates in rural communities—among the best percentages in the nation. ETSU’s Center for Experiential Learning provides real time patient simulation for training first responders, medical and nurse practitioners. ETSU’s Flagship Division for Health Sciences for the Tennessee border region puts a focus on first responders as well as the healthcare system (present and future rural medical practitioners).

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU), in Richmond, Kentucky, is a regional comprehensive university that enrolls over 16,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The College of Justice & Safety is EKU’s Program of Distinction. The College, one of five within the university, has 45 full-time faculty and approximately 1,600 students. The College houses the International Justice & Safety Institute, the Kentucky Center for School Safety, the Justice & Safety Center, and the Training Resource Center in addition to three academic departments that award degrees in assets protection/security, corrections/juvenile justice, criminal justice, emergency medical care, fire safety, loss prevention and safety, police studies, and homeland security.

Iowa Central Community College (ICCC), located at Fort Dodge, Iowa, is committed to educational excellence. Innovation and excellence, with continuous improvement, define this institution where the focus is on the learner and the appreciation of diversity. It is the philosophy of Iowa Central Community College, as a comprehensive community college, to aid in developing students' capabilities to the maximum. Iowa Central provides a flexible program to satisfy the needs of the individual and the needs of the community. ICCC is also home to the Iowa Central Homeland Security Training Center which was established to work with local first responders and related state and Federal agencies to create a model Homeland Security Regional Training and Command Center.

NorthWest Arkansas Community College (NWACC) and the Institute for Corporate and Public Safety (ICPS), located in the nation’s fifth fastest growing metropolitan statistical area (Bentonville, Arkansas), is a comprehensive training institute working with the public and private sectors to better prepare for and respond to emergencies ranging from small fires to large mass casualty incidents. With cooperation from its three primary corporate partners, Wal-Mart, Tyson Foods, and J.B. Hunt Transportation, ICPS courses are designed to meet the preparedness needs of both the public and private sectors. ICPS is currently implementing U.S. Department of Homeland Security-certified courses nationwide with working relationships with community colleges, universities, businesses, and chambers of commerce. ICPS has either hosted courses or had online course participants from throughout the United States, including 27 states, the District of Columbia, two U.S. territories, and the armed forces.

The School of Environmental and Emergency Management (SEEM) at The University of Findlay (UF) provides education, training, and information-transfer programs that focus on environmental, safety and health (ES & H) issues as well as security management, terrorism and disaster preparedness. Since its inception in 1986, SEEM has awarded degrees to over 1,100 students from its Academic Degree Programs. SEEM also trained over 100,000 people coast-to-coast. In 2006, SEEM trained 9,132 people, through 394 course offerings at 216 locations in 48 states and 4 foreign countries. UF is the only institution that integrates ES&H and Disaster Preparedness training, with a nationally recognized Center for Terrorism Preparedness and the opportunity to earn BS & MS degrees.

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