Kentuckians have experienced increasing severity and frequency of Natural Disasters. Nelson County Cooperative Extension staff have supported efforts to assist in recovery efforts since the 2021 tornados in Western Kentucky and 2022 Floods in Eastern Kentucky. They have coordinated with local groups for meaningful response efforts such as donations of agricultural supplies or flood cleanup resources and assisted directly in affected areas. In Nelson County, disaster education has been an ongoing part of our programming. In 2022, Nelson County Cooperative Extension hosted a Disaster Ready Resource fair. In 2023, the Navigating Trauma After a Disaster lesson was selected as an Extension Homemakers lesson. 

At the state level, Danielle serves as a contact for the national Extension Disaster Education Network, is on the Extension Disaster Response Committee and the In the Faces of Disaster Grant Team. Danielle has worked with UK Specialists to host the Local Approach to Discussion-Based Disaster Exercises and Readiness (LADDER) game, that uses gamification to foster new collaborations with local emergency responders. As a result, local leaders involved in Emergency Management left with an increased understanding of the resources available through Cooperative Extension and identified areas in which they need additional training to respond to agricultural needs during a disaster.

Nelson County Cooperative Extension continues to help our community prepare, respond and recover from disasters. During the winter floods of 2025, Danielle partnered with local media to saturate radio, television, print and social medias with educational resources to help the community prepare for the floods and cold temperatures.  Educational materials included food and water safety, personal and emotional safety, clean up of debris and salvaging water damaged materials.

When flood again hit Nelson County in April or 2025, the small community of Boston was cut off by flood waters.  Over 60 homes were affected by flood waters.  Danielle Hagler, Nelson County Extension agent for Family and Consumer Sciences, worked closely with Nelson County Emergency Management to organize community donations and educational response.  Danielle worked closely with Samantha Klotz, Nelson County Extension Agent for 4-H Youth Development to coordinate a reponse effort that resulted in over 90 cleaning buckets being donated and assembled by Extension volunteers.  The buckets included clean up supplied, presonal protections gear, educational publications about clean up and clean up safety.  Food safety publications were also included with food relief buckets.  Danielle worked closely with local media to educate the community on topcs such as navigating trauma after a disaster,  watching out for fraud and food and water safety.  

Describe the Issue or Situation.

Describe the Outreach or Educational Program Response (and Partners, if applicable).

Provide the Number and Description(s) of Participants/Target Audience.

Provide a Statement of Outcomes or Program Impact. Please note that the outcomes statement must use evaluation data to describe the change(s) that occurred in individuals, groups, families, businesses, or in the community because of the program/outreach.