Survive and Thrive – Spring Weather Edition

Describe the Issue or Situation:
 Spring weather in Eastern Kentucky brings heightened risks of severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding. Many community members were underprepared for emergencies, lacking knowledge on how to create disaster kits, identify trustworthy resources, protect important assets, and respond appropriately during weather emergencies. Without proper preparation, these communities faced increased vulnerability during natural disasters.

Describe the Outreach or Educational Program Response (and Partners, if applicable):
 The Quicksand Area Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Agents launched the third installment of the Survive and Thrive series, focusing on spring weather preparedness. The program was conducted in Lee, Knott, and Letcher Counties. All eight Quicksand Area FCS Agents participated, with each agent teaching a different section.
 The curriculum included materials from trusted sources such as FEMA and the American Red Cross, covering:

• In the Face of Disaster
• Financial Considerations Before a Natural Disaster
• Home Inventory Checklist
• FEMA: Understanding Insurance Before a Disaster
• Be Prepared for a Flood
• Be Prepared for a Tornado
• American Red Cross Tornado Preparedness Checklist
• FEMA: Taking Shelter from the Storm
• American Red Cross Flood Preparedness
• Maintaining Your Emergency Kit

Through these lessons, participants received practical, actionable strategies to better prepare themselves and their families for spring weather emergencies.

Provide the Number and Description(s) of Participants/Target Audience:
 A total of 35 individuals participated across the three county locations. The target audience included rural Appalachian adults and families living in communities with limited emergency resources. Many participants had little to no prior disaster preparation training and attended to gain knowledge on how to safeguard their homes, families, and property.

Provide a Statement of Outcomes or Program Impact:
 The program demonstrated strong, measurable impacts:

• Knowledge of steps to prepare for a disaster rose by 75.64%, with 32 participants rating their knowledge at the highest level after the program (compared to 1 before).
• Knowledge of how to locate reliable disaster preparation and response resources increased by 74.03%, with 29 participants rating their knowledge at the highest level (up from 3 before).
• Knowledge of items needed in a disaster kit improved by 51.6%, with 33 participants rating their knowledge at the highest level after the program.

Participants indicated they would apply their knowledge by:

• Building emergency kits 
• Downloading emergency alert apps
• Safely storing food and water
• Organizing and protecting important documents
• Adopting critical safety practices like “Turn Around, Don’t Drown” during floods

As a result of the Survive and Thrive program, rural families across the Quicksand Area are now better equipped to prepare for, respond to, and recover from spring weather disasters, significantly strengthening community resilience.