Author: Rhonda Jewell
Major Program: Tornado Response and Recovery
On December 10, 2021 an EF4 tornado hit parts of West Kentucky causing mass destruction to homes, farms, and businesses. Caldwell and Hopkins Counties were hit hard displacing many families and closing businesses. Many people lost everything they owned and didn’t have the financial resources, and in some cases, sufficient insurance to pick up the pieces and move on. The Caldwell County Extension Office turned into a hub for collecting tornado relief items. Donations of fo
Author: Brittany Osborne
When powerful tornadoes ripped through Western Kentucky, vital communication networks went down. To help get the region’s first responders, government, and emergency management officials back online, the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service worked with the Starlink team at SpaceX. Starlink provided kits which use advanced satellites in a low orbit to enable high-data-rate internet, in strategic Western Kentucky locations. Starlink has internet relay satellites around t
Author: Matthew Adams
After the devastating tornado's that wrecked havoc across much of Kentucky in December 2021, the Hardin County Extension Office was contacted by KY Cattlemen's Association and Kentucky Department of Agriculture Chief of Staff, and asked if our office would serve as a dropoff point for any agriculture related supplies headed to the West KY tornado relief effort. It began quickly apparent that we would be receiving lots of materials from several states. We hurriedly blocked off
Author: Lorilee Kunze
In December 2021 Kentucky experienced a series of devastating tornados across the state that severely impacted the communities in those areas. According to the National Weather Service, 28 counties suffered damage due to the storms. Bullitt County Master Gardener volunteers decided to reach out to the Extension service offices and Master Gardener Programs in all 28 counties to offer assistance with recovery. Two counties accepted their offer of help.Taylor County Horticulture A
Author: Kelsey Mehl
In December of 2021, UKREC was part of a devastating tornado, destroying most of our buildings. In the time since, we have come together to try and salvage and rebuild everything that was lost. Over the past 6 months, I have been working on repurchasing items through insurance, trying to bring our program back to a functional capacity. So far, I have been able to recover over $50,000 dollars back from lost equipment.We have been managed to pull together our program so that we can have both a fie
Author: Nathan Rider
On Dec. 11, 2021, several tornados tore through many communities across Kentucky. The community of Dawson Springs suffered severe damage from a tornado near the West KY 4-H Camp operated by the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service. Centrally located, the camp became a logistical hub for relief work; however, a Boil Water Advisory complicated relief efforts at every turn. Without safe drinking water, cooking, cleaning, rehydrating, and bathing were all made more difficult. Camp st
Author: Shane Bogle
On December 10, 2021, a violent EF4 tornado ripped through West Kentucky destroying several housing developments, farms, and the University of Kentucky Research and Education Center in Princeton, Kentucky. In the early morning aftermath on December 11, Agents in the Caldwell County Extension office went to work volunteering for triage and support to provide immediate necessities to friends and coworkers who were completely devastated.Shortly thereafter the Agriculture and Natural Resources
Author: Keenan Bishop
Soon after the devastating tornados the Franklin Co Cattlemen's Assoc (FCCA) wanted to something to help affected farmers. The Franklin Co ANR agent visited with others in the area to see where the greatest need was or if there were some families not receiving enough help. A small community in Muhlenburg Co was identified and a list of needed items was attained.The FCCA immediately began soliciting donations of money or items. They along with the local FFAs had six fundraisers outside the lo
Author: Karin Pekarchik
The University of Kentucky Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering’s booth at the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville focused on the impacts of the December 2021 tornadoes. The retrospective was designed to show what happened and the ongoing recovery efforts. The goal of this project was to make sure the response and resilience of the affected communities remained visible during what will be a long rebuilding effort. ? Components:?&nb
Author: Patrick Hardesty
In Taylor County, the December 11, 2021 and January 1, 2022 tornados affected approximately 110 homes and loss of one life as it swept across the state. Some homes were completely gone, barns destroyed or damaged and livestock running loose as fences were taken by the tornados.After several calls from leaders within the county and a promise of front money to purchase emergency fencing supplies and a request to help from farm organizations across the state, the Taylor County Extension Offic
Author: Nicole Rhein
Continued from initial outcome story-Farmers Look to Extension for Tornado ReliefIt has been six months since the tornado ripped through Marshall County. In this time, Nikki Rhein, Marshall County Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources, had the privilege of assisting with tornado relief efforts. By simply making herself available to the cause, she was blessed with the opportunity to help funnel donations and assistance efforts to the farmers of her county. Throughout this process,
Author: Raul Villanueva
The temporary laboratories on the UK-REC site were initially scheduled by the end of 2022. Since it would be impossible for entomology to complete its program without a place to do office, and lab work, Raul Villanueva, the extension entomologist for the UK-REC, led a group of professors (Carl Bradley (Plant pathology) and Edwin Ritchey (Plant and soil Science)) to look for a rental space that would solve the lack of space to do lab work in 2022. After waiting three months, to pass inspections,
It only took 11 minutes for the EF4 Tornado to rip through Marshall County Kentucky on December 10th, 2021. The county suffered two deaths, countless close calls and an indescribable amount of destruction in its path, which was as wide as a mile in places. Many Marshall county farm families were effected by the storm and were going to need assistance. Nikki Rhein, Marshall County Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources knew that she had an opportunity to help. On Dec.11th, Nikki started taki
The entomology program at the UK-REC at Princeton has been working with Anthony Schiavino VP of Production at Resonate Foods since 2019. On December 13, 2022, three days after the tornado Mr. Schiavino and Villanueva met inadvertently at the entrance of the REC. There, Schiavino offered his support to the Entomology program and other UK-REC programs by providing a high tunnel that initially was used to store salvaged items rescuedfrom the tornado. Later on, in mid spring we began to grow hemp. M
The entomology program at the UK-REC at Princeton was totally interrupted due to a tornado that destroyed our facilities, equipment, vehicles, and machineries last December. After looking for a place to work in Princeton and nearby towns, the ANR-CEA Susan Fox and the Lyon County District Board offered a temperature-controlled garage in the Lyon County Cooperative District Offices in March. There the entomology program was set up placing working stations with stereoscope, and computers. This spa
Author: Kristi Shive
On December 11th, 2021 deathly tornados hit Warren County, Kentucky. The community was heavily impacted by the tornados including 17 fatalities, hundreds of injuries, 500 homes destroyed, 100 businesses demolished, city-wide power outages, severe damage, and more. Hundreds of families were displaced from their homes. Warren County Family and Consumer Sciences Agent put together 30 No-Cook Homemade Playdoh kits for tornado-affected children. The Warren County Public Library distributed the playdo
Author: Susan Fox
The December 10 tornado crossed Lyon County around 10:10 p.m. It traveled across Land Between the Lakes, which occupies the southwest corner of the county, and then traveled along Eddy Bay and approximately two miles of open farmland, damaging some 75-100 homes and three farms. As the local ESF-11 agriculture disaster coordinator my response was as follows:I was called at midnight on Dec.10 to check on 4 dogs at a home first thing in the morning. The house was checked at daylight, family members
Author: Joanna Coles
On December 11, 2021, a cluster of 3 tornados tore through Warren County impacting approximately 1000 homes and taking 17 lives. Roughly 14,000 people were without power in the city of Bowling Greens for weeks. The devastation to farms in the Rockfield and Oakland areas were extensive. Our extension office didn’t have phone or internet service for the first week following the tornado, so we joined the community to be boots on the ground at donation centers and s
