Extension
It Starts With Us
Disaster & Emergency Preparedness
Disaster and Emergency Response
Comer, Druin, Montgomery
Build Engaged and Empowered Communities – General
Agriculture and Extension Leadership Development
Community Strategic Planning
Civic Engagement
Occurrences of weather-related and other disaster and emergency situations can have a devastating impact on Kentucky communities. Our communities need educational programming to enhance community readiness and recovery from impending disasters. Preparation, education, and collaboration will ensure that Extension Agents and Administrators are prepared to respond to local, regional, and state emergencies, with state and local partners, under the direction of the local emergency management director and plan.
• Increase collaborative working relationships between KY Extension and emergency management partner agencies.
• Minimize losses to agricultural operations, individuals, families, and communities as a result of natural disaster, pandemic, or other emergencies.
• Expedited recovery of agricultural operations, individuals, families, businesses, and communities after a natural disaster, pandemic, or emergency.
* Effective planning, assessment, and reporting of natural disasters/emergencies.
* Increase preparedness of agricultural operations, individuals, families, businesses, and communities for natural disaster, pandemic, or other emergencies.
* Increase knowledge and awareness of participants regarding emergency preparedness.
* Increase knowledge and awareness of Extension Agents of appropriate roles and mandates related to disaster reporting.
* Increase awareness of the role of Kentucky Extension by counties/cities and other partner agencies in dealing with natural disasters and emergency preparedness.
* Initiate networking between Extension agents, leaders and local emergency management officials.
Initial Outcome: Number of people attending Disaster Preparedness programs
Indicator: Signin sheets
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Timeline:
Intermediate Outcome: Number of people preparing Disaster Kits for homes/ businesses and implementing other best practices
Indicator: survey
Method:
Timeline:
Long-term Outcome:
Indicator:
Method:
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Audience: Local officials
Project or Activity: Networking
Content or Curriculum: County Emergency management plan
Inputs: Agents time
Date: TBD
Audience: Extension District Boards
Project or Activity: Discuss/pre-plan how local facilities can be utilized during disaster/emergency
Content or Curriculum: Kentucky Extension or Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) resources.
Inputs: Local Extension Facilities, Educational materials developed and provided by specialist/faculty and others, &
Extension Disaster and Emergency Response webpage (in development)
Date:TBD
Audience: Agents/Staff
Project or Activity: Ensure office and agents personal computer data are safeguarded by utilizing cloud servers (eg. OneDrive)
Content or Curriculum:
Inputs:
Date:TBD
Audience: Understand Local Emergency Management Plan and Extension’s expected response during an emergency situation.
Project or Activity: : Utilize public service announcements, and news releases throughout the year to emphasize preparation for Severe Storms, Winter Weather, Floods, Fire, Drought, Extreme Temperatures and other pertinent subjects.
Content or Curriculum: Kentucky Extension or Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) resources.
Inputs: Educational materials developed and provided by specialist/faculty and others & Extension Disaster and Emergency Response webpage (in development)
Date: TBD
Author: Nan Montgomery
Major Program: Emergency Disaster Preparedness
Kentuckians have experienced firsthand how natural disasters can occur any time and often with little warning. Disasters take many forms, and we can feel their impacts across most areas of family life. Because there is no “one-size-fits-all” disaster model, planning community outreach can be challenging, and Cooperative Extension is often involved in disaster preparation and response at the local level. As a result of local needs, the County Extension Agent for Family and
Author: Gregory Comer
Major Program: Tornado Response and Recovery
The problemThe December 2021 tornado caused over $25 million damage in Ohio Co. Even though it spared the major population areas in the county, the tornado cut a 35 mile long path across the agricultural areas of the county – destroying houses, barns, poultry houses, grain storage systems, fences, trees, etc… As the tornado traveled southwest to northeast across the county, around 75 farms were impacted.The educational program responseThe Ohio County Extension Service assisted in re
