FALLON, Nev. (AP) - Emergency response leaders from rural counties across Nevada are gathering in Churchill County in the coming week for a Public Health Rural Emergency Preparedness Summit.

The gathering Tuesday and Wednesday at the Fallon Convention Center is the first of its kind in Nevada.

State Health Officer Dr. Tracey Green says only about 11 percent of Nevadans live in rural counties but that area accounts for about 87 percent of the state's land mass. She says that means many of those communities are long distances from a major hospital, which creates extra challenges during medical emergencies.

In addition to formal presentations, the summit will feature tabletop exercises so participants can practice responding to incidents such as a public health or weather emergencies.

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