Extension
It Starts With Us
Preparing Community for Disaster and Emergency Response
Disaster and Emergency Response
Allen, Hinton
Emergency Disaster Preparedness
Civic Engagement
Build Engaged and Empowered Communities – General
Community Strategic Planning
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: Increased awareness for Disaster Preparedness
Indicator: Number of people attending disaster preparedness programs
Method: Sign-in sheets
Timeline: Fall 2024 - Spring 2025
Intermediate Outcome: People preparing Disaster Kits for homes and businesses and implementing other best practices.
Indicator: Number of kits prepared and family emergency plans created.
Method: Follow up surveys
Timeline: 2024-2025 program year
Long-term Outcome: Families and local community exhibit resiliency following natural disasters and trauma.
Indicator: Families utilize disaster preparedness plans, emergency kits, and have the needed resources to sustain themselves immediately following a disaster.
Method: Observation and personal interviews
Timeline: Immediately following natural disasters.
Audience: Agents and Staff, Extension Volunteers and Extension District Boards, Local Emergency Management Officials, General Public
Project or Activity: Learning and sharing disaster preparedness information at leadership meetings and networking.
Content or Curriculum: Coping with Trauma After Natural Disaster,In the Face of Disaster series, County Emergency Management Plan, Emergency Health Information Cards
Inputs: Local Extension Facilities, Extension Staff and Specialist
Date: 2024-25 program year
Audience: Extension District Boards
Project or Activity: Discuss and Pre-plan how local Extension Facilities can be utilized during a Disaster/Emergency.
Content or Curriculum: Breckinridge County Disaster/emergency plan, Educational materials developed and provided by specialist/faculty and others.
Inputs: Local Extension Facilities, Extension Staff and Specialist,
Extension Disaster and Emergency Response webpage (in development)
Date: Fall/Winter 2024-2025
Audience: Extension staff, volunteers and community partners
Activity: State trainings on emergency preparedness and recovery
Content or Curriculum: Kentucky Extension or Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) resources. Educational materials developed and provided by specialist/faculty and others
Inputs: Extension Staff, Volunteers and Community Partners
Date: Spring 2025
Audience: Agents and Staff
Project or Activity: Ensure office and agents personal computer data are safeguarded by utilizing cloud servers (eg. OneDrive)
Content or Curriculum:
Date: 2025 Program year
Audience: All local citizens
Activity: Disaster preparedness media campaign
Content or Curriculum: 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.
Inputs: News articles utilizing agent exclusives and news releases based educational materials developed and provided by specialist/faculty and others, radio ads, Extension Disaster and Emergency Response webpage (in development)
Date: 2025 program year
