Posts Tagged ‘disasters’

National Disaster Recovery Framework Webinar — February 1, 2013

Friday, January 25th, 2013

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

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Posted in Agricultural Disasters, Communication, Community Recovery, Disaster Education Planning, disasters, VOADs and COADs | No Comments »

Family Preparedness Friday

Friday, March 30th, 2012

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.

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Posted in Children and Disasters, Community Prepraredness, Community Recovery, disasters, Families and Communities, Family and Individual Preparedness | No Comments »

Family Preparedness Friday

Friday, March 2nd, 2012

Plan now, reduce stress later

Are you a planner? Are you an “organized” (that is such a relative word) person? I like to think that I am both.

For example, this is my office.

Pardon the dark picture, in my area we choose to work without the overhead lights turned on.

 

I would say that my desk looks organized. Remember how I said that was a relative term? Here is what I compare my office against; the boss-man, Steve’s desk.

Please note those bookshelves! Oh my!!

 

Now, I am not saying Steve isn’t organized or a planner, because he really is. I’m just saying we work in the disaster realm; therefore, our offices tend to look like disasters. And maybe after two years of working in our new offices and publishing this on a very public forum Steve might be motivated to fix those bookshelves.

Now we may have two very different ways of organizing our offices, but we do agree on one thing and that is how to organize a family disaster plan.

A family disaster plan tells everyone in the household what they will do during an emergency. It helps everyone get organized. Having a plan reduces the stress of coping with a disaster in the aftermath.

EDEN delegates from the University of Missouri Extension system have created a disaster plan template to guide you and your family through the process of developing your family’s disaster plan. Creating this plan should be a whole family collaboration, that way everyone knows their role and responsibility in times of emergency.

Click here to go to the University of Missouri’s Family Disaster Plan electronic template. The template allots for two adult family members, two child family members, and six pet family members. If you need templates for additional family members don’t worry; click here for adults, here for children, and here for pets.

While we know this is an electronic document, remember to have a hard copy of this document as well.

Organize your family disaster plan now, to help reduce the effects of disasters later. Now I’m off to see if I can get Steve motivated to organize his office.

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Posted in 4-H disaster education, Children and Disasters, Communication, Disaster Education Planning, disasters, Families and Communities, Family and Individual Preparedness, Pets and Companion Animals, Youth Programs and Initiatives | No Comments »

Family Preparedness Friday

Thursday, February 16th, 2012

Don’t Forget the Doggie!

This week’s post comes to you from my remote location in beautiful New Orleans, Louisiana. I’ve had meetings here all week; which means I have been away from my family all week. I sadly had to leave my husband and children at home. Not let me clarify, the children in our household are fur-babies.

Holden, the chocolate lab, and Arie, the pug

Please meet, Holden the slightly chubby overly-lovable, chocolate lab and Arie the often completely wild and insane rambunctious, pug. I know that I am the same as many other animal owners when I say that my pets are part of my family.

The likelihood that you and your animals will survive emergencies or disasters such as a fire, earthquake, flood, tornado or terrorist attack depends largely on emergency planning.

If possible, if an emergencies or disasters force you to evacuate your home, take your pets with you. However, if you are going to a public shelter, understand that animals may not be allowed inside. For example, Red Cross disaster shelters cannot accept pets due to health and safety regulations. Service animals that assist people with disabilities are the only exception. Make plans for shelter alternatives that will work for both you and your pets.

Be prepared for an emergency or disaster. Assemble animal emergency supply kits and develop a pet-care plan that will work whether you decide to stay put in an emergency or evacuate to a safer location. Keep in mind that what is best for you is typically best for your animals. Create kits for each pet for at least three days, and store the supplies in a pet carrier that’s ready to go.

Kits should include:

  • Pet identification securely attached and current photos of your pets in case they get lost
  • Medications, first-aid kit and veterinary records (stored in a waterproof container)
  • Sturdy leashes, harnesses, and/or carriers to transport pets safely and ensure that your animals cannot escape
  • Three days’ food supply (one ounce/per pound each day), potable water, bowls, can opener if canned food
  • Pet towel or blanket; pet beds and toys if easily transportable
  • Plastic bags for waste
  • Cat litter/pan
  • Information on feeding schedules, medical conditions, behavior problems, and the name and number of your veterinarian in case you have to foster or board your pets

In the event of evacuation, do not leave pets behind. However, if it’s impossible to take them, make sure plenty of dry food and water are available.

For more information look at the EDEN Family Preparedness Course or FEMA’s Information for Pet Owners page.

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Posted in 4-H disaster education, Children and Disasters, Community Prepraredness, Disaster Education Planning, Elderly and Disasters, Families and Communities, Family and Individual Preparedness, Pets and Companion Animals, Youth Programs and Initiatives | No Comments »

Family Preparedness Friday

Friday, February 10th, 2012

A Recipe for Disaster?

If you were to lose power in your home for three days, what would you eat? Food from the refrigerator? No longer good. Food from the freezer? Not an option either. Microwave something? No power, remember.

Maybe you should start thinking now about what you could cook from the ingredients you have in your disaster readiness kit or your kitchen pantry right this moment.

Take a look around, what do you have? You can heat that can of ravioli up of a fire, same for the baked beans and cans of soup. But don’t stop there, think harder. What can you create from these items?

Well, I’ll be honest; my go-to comfort food is chicken pot pie, it’s perfect for sad days, cold days, and really ANY day. And yes, I know there are no two people that make it exactly alike, but I have to say my mother’s recipe is pretty fantastic. However, if my power is knocked out for several days on end I’m not going to be able to use those chicken breasts in the fridge or make pie crust from scratch like the recipe says. I will  be able to make my disaster ready chicken pot pie though. Check out how using canned ingredients can create relatively the same meal.

Disaster Ready Chicken Pot Pie

1 can – Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can – Mixed Vegetables
1 can – Chicken Meat
1 Pie Crust Mix from a box
Water
Salt
Pepper

Mix the pie crust according to instructions. Heat over an open flame. Break canned chicken up with a fork. Mix with vegetables (don’t drain) and soup. Season to taste. Fill pie crust with mixture and heat until warm.

Now that sounds more like a family meal. Be creative, but plan ahead. When making your disaster readiness kit plan meals ahead that will feed your whole family. Canned ingredients may seem simple, but they can make some of the best meals.

What did you find when you looked in your fridge? Share with us some of your disaster ready meal ideas.

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Posted in 4-H disaster education, Children and Disasters, Community Prepraredness, Disaster Education Planning, Elderly and Disasters, Families and Communities, Family and Individual Preparedness, Youth Programs and Initiatives | 2 Comments »

Family Preparedness Friday

Friday, February 3rd, 2012

We are rolling out something new this week, Family Preparedness Fridays. Each Friday we will highlight a way you can get your family prepared for a disaster.

What better way to help get the family prepared for the next disaster than to get the kids involved. Have the kids help complete the word search below, then use the word list as a starting point for collecting items for your family’s disaster preparedness kit. Most of these items can be found around the house, so grab a box or tote and let the family start getting prepared!

GET A KIT!

To complete this puzzle online click here. For a printable PDF click here.

More resources on Family Preparedness are available on the EDEN website by clicking here.

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Posted in 4-H disaster education, Children and Disasters, Community Prepraredness, Disaster Education Planning, Elderly and Disasters, Families and Communities, Family and Individual Preparedness, Uncategorized, Youth Programs and Initiatives | No Comments »

Involve Youth in Disaster Management

Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011

Guest post by Lynette Black

Teen CERT team members review their plan of action during an exercise

Teen CERT team members review their plan of action during an exercise

The 4-H Youth Development program reaches youth through several avenues. Focused areas of disaster management can be included in the education youth are receiving during each experience. Following are some ideas.

Camping Program

The Camping program is a popular way for youth to participate in a 4-H experience. Focus lessons on first-aid, safety, living without electricity, recognizing weather and impending signs of disasters and surviving disasters.

Focus counselor training on the camp’s emergency plans and stress management.

Traditional 4-H Club Program

Club work: focus on project areas (i.e. food and food preservation focus on emergency food supply and water safety, clothing and textiles focus on appropriate emergency clothing, outdoor education focus on camping and survival skills, small animals projects focus on backyard homesteading techniques and animal health care and diseases, livestock focus on animal health care and diseases). For all project areas cover steps to stay safe during a disaster.

County fair: educate on animal disease issues and human disease issues as well as evacuation planning and plan of action in case of disaster.

Afterschool programs: Focus on science (i.e. what causes earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes), geology (volcanoes, landslides), weather (extreme heat, cold, thunderstorms), and staying safe during a disaster.

Babysitting training: Focus on first-aid, family emergency plans and stress management.

There are many ways to incorporate disaster preparedness in 4-H programming. For more information please contact Lynette Black, 4-H Youth Development Faculty, Oregon State University.

Regards, Virginia Morgan, EDEN Chair

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Posted in 4-H disaster education, Youth Programs and Initiatives | No Comments »