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 Agents for Family and Consumer Sciences in Breathitt, Knott, Lee, Letcher, Leslie, Owsley, Perry, and Wolfe counties, along with the Agent on Special Assignment for Community Response and Recovery, developed and hosted the first program in a three-part series entitled, Survive and Thrive: Disaster Preparedness.  The focus of this event was on preparing your home and family for disasters by learning about weather alerts/warnings, by creating a family disaster emergency plan, and by building home disaster kits.  Participants were recruited by marketing efforts in local newspapers, on local radio, Extension newsletters, and county office social media platforms.  32 participated in the program representing both youth and adults living in disaster impacted counties in Kentucky.

Following the event, participants completed evaluations.  100% of participants gained a better understanding of steps they could take in preparation for natural disasters.  100% of participants increased their understanding of how to find reliable resources on disaster preparation and/or response. Further, 100% of participants can better identify what items they should include in a disaster kit. Most importantly, 100% of participants reported they intended to assemble a disaster kit that fits their needs and 100% of participants shared they intend to create a disaster response plan.

Participants specifically shared the most significant things they learned from the event were, “Building an emergency kit is important,” and “Plan now for possibilities later.”