It seems as though we just catch our collective breath from one disaster event when another happens. This week is no exception. Oklahoma is home to NOAA Storm Prediction Center, where experts issued a tornado warning 16 minutes before a tornado (estimated to be EF-4) touched down and moved through Newcastle, Moore and South Oklahoma City. Two elementary schools and hundreds of homes were destroyed. Many people were injured and several lost their lives. The numbers are still being confirmed. It was a tragic day.

This was the most destructive event of the day,  but it was not the only severe weather to hit the country. There were 403 preliminary storm reports, including 22 tornado reports, 257 wind reports and 124 hail reports. Today’s forecast is similar to that of yesterday. Other than keep an eye on the forecast and current weather conditions, what can you do to prepare for severe weather? Learn about tornado basics, tornado safety and other related topics on the Storm Prediction Center’s  Tornado FAQ.

Everyone wants to help and help is always appreciated, but the most appreciated and most helpful thing we can do at this time is to let the responders do their work. While it seems appropriate to drop what you’re doing and head to Moore to help assess damage, move debris and comfort the affected, if you’re not part of an approved organized effort, you are in the way. Do NOT head to Moore unless you’ve been officially requested to go there.

You can still help. Make a donation at the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD) site or to the voluntary organization of your choice. You can also register on their sites to volunteer.

EDEN and Extension have excellent resources that will help in the short- and long-term recovery efforts. Here are a few specific resources covering a variety of issues from Extension and our partners:

• Ag Damage Assessment and Economic Loss forms (Pennsylvania)
• Temporary fencing (eXtension)
• After a Disaster: A Lesson Plan in T3 (Louisiana)
• How to help children, youth and teens after a disaster (Missouri)
• Resources for recovering historic artifacts for homeowners, libraries, museums (Heritage Preservation)

The National Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF)  and Drought Response Across Agencies and Organizations Webinar

Friday, February 1, 2013 at 1 PM Eastern

The  National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) and the Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) offer a chance to take a closer look at how the National Disaster Recovery Framework was used to respond to the drought of 2012 and how it continues to be applied in 2013. This Webinar was requested by members of the  National VOAD  Drought Task Force and the EDEN Drought National Extension Issues Leadership Team. The Webinar is open to anyone, but may be of special interest to VOAD and EDEN members, and federal, state and local agencies involved in drought response.

• Introductions:  Steve Cain
• Colleen Callahan: USDA’s perspective on NDRF and drought
• Ryan Velasco, FEMA’s perspective on NDRF and drought **
• Arlan Juhl,  State of Illinois’s Drought Task Force and cross agency cooperation,

About the speakers:

• Colleen Callahan is the Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator at USDA
• Ryan Velasco is Emergency Management Specialist, FEMA
• Arlan Juhl is Director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources
• Steve Cain is the EDEN Homeland Security Project Director and National VOAD drought Task Force Chair.

** Because Ryan is subject to Hurricane Sandy deployment, there may be a substitution.

The link for the webinar is —  https://gomeet.itap.purdue.edu/EDENDrought

Kim, Chair Drought NEIL

The Centers for Disease Control have a link with information on health issues related to the drought.  Information included on this web page is water, air quality, food and nutrition, sanitation and hygiene, recreational risks, infectious disease, chronic disease, and diseases transmitted by animals and insects.

Kim Cassel

As Seasonal Drought Outlook (below) shows peristence and intensification of the drought over much of the country through the end of the year, I share with you the leadership of  the newly formed Drought NEIL (National EDEN Issue Leader) Team.  The team is charged with the development of  sustainable EDEN and EDEN eXtension drought preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation research based resources.  Working from a Logic Model, we will be building on the excellent resources shared by Extension Specialists and County Extension Educators.

Kim Cassel

Even Sesame Street Isn’t Immune to Disasters

First of all, let me apologize for having missed a few weeks. As some of you know, I am based out of Purdue University in Indiana. And March is out to prove that old idiom right this year; in like a lion, out like a lamb.

Starting February 29 and continuing through March 3, Indiana – along with several other states – was riddled by severe storms and tornadoes. I have since been responding in the southern part of Indiana.

But now it’s time to get back on track a bit, at least keeping the blog updated again.

Having been working with families affected by the storms, I remembered a great resource for helping children cope with the effects of a disaster. Yes, I know this is a preparedness post, but it all ties together.

Your children’s favorite furry red friend and big yellow bird, Elmo and Big Bird, along with the rest of the gang have great resources for dealing with disaster. If you haven’t checked them out before, slide on over to www.sesameworkshop.org and give all of Sesame Street’s workshops a look.

Photo Courtesy of www.SesameStreet.org

Along with their great preparedness toolkit, Let’s Get Ready! Planning Together for Emergencies, Sesame Street has developed programs helping children deal with loss.

Sesame Street designed an entire series around hurricanes, which in fact relates very well to sever storms and tornadoes. In the series, Big Bird’s nest is destroyed in the hurricane. Through activity books and videos we follow Big Bird through his experience. We watch the Sesame Street community comfort Big Bird when he experiences the initial shock and sadness of losing his home, continue with the story as everyone pitches in to clean up Sesame Street and build a new nest for Big Bird, and finish up with Big Bird settling into his new nest.

Still from www.SesameStreet.org's video Hurricane - Part 2

By incorporating familiar characters in your family preparedness efforts, your children will want to become more involved. The characters can also help create a sense of comfort and safety when recovering from a disaster.

For more information about EDEN, visit www.EDEN.lsu.edu.