RESOURCE
EDENotes – Archived EDEN Project Page
October 8, 2016
This page contains information that was preserved in August 2017 when the EDEN website moved to this new system. The information here has not been, and will not be, updated. For more information on this topic, please use the EDEN Website Search function in the header. If you reached this page from a bookmark, please update that bookmark.
November, 2010 — EDEN Chair Virginia Morgan initiated a blog to keep delegates and friends up-to-date on EDEN efforts. You are invited to post to the blog pertinent comments.
See below for a direct feed of the 10 most recent postings. You can also visit the blog directly here.
New EDEN Marketing Tools
Are you making a presentation that represents the Extension Disaster Education Network? We have the template for you. The new EDEN PowerPoint templates are being used in new and updated EDEN educational programs, EDEN 101 orientation for new delegates, EDEN webinar slides and in other ways.
The 4:3 ratio presentation orientations are best used in typical powerpoint scenarios such as a presentation screen or an older laptop. The 16:9 ratio is more appropriate for newer laptops and presenting on televisions.
Visit the EDEN Marketing Page at EDEN.LSU.EDU to download these templates.
New EDEN Fliers
The EDEN Marketing committee was charged with developing a one-page flier for EDEN to be used as a marketing piece with internal and external audiences. The idea was to have a grab and go piece that would express what EDEN is, the goals of EDEN, how to access EDEN resources, and a snapshot of our collaborating organizations. Treye Rice from Texas A&M developed a total of six. They all have the same information about the EDEN organization, but include different photos depicting various disasters. They are designed to be personalized by users to reflect state needs. Please email us if you are interested in personalizing one of these pages for your state or university.
Download all six fliers as a PDF
Plan to Communicate
I was interviewed yesterday by a young lady for a class assignment. We talked about several things, all of which pivoted on this year’s theme for National Preparedness Month. “Don’t Wait, Communicate” is applicable for so many aspects of our lives, and especially when a disaster hits us.
In the context of disasters, communication can become as challenging as buying ice or gasoline after a hurricane. We forget that the ubiquitous smartphone may not be so useful when cell towers are down or when there’s no way to recharge our electronic devices. It’s frightening to think that we may not be with our loved ones when a disaster occurs and have no way of finding out their status. Are they all okay? Where are they? How can we get to them?
Here are seven things you can do before a disaster occurs.
- Identify an out-of-state family member or friend willing to serve as your check-in person in the event of a disaster. Provide all of your family members with that person’s contact information. Why? In a disaster, it is sometimes easier to contact a person outside the disaster area than it is to contact someone in that zone.
- Teach your family members (children and older adults who may not know) how to send a text message. Texting can be a more effective and reliable tool than voice calls when the network is overwhelmed.
- Know your family members’ daily routines. Be familiar with school and work disaster plans. Who are the emergency contacts?
- Designate a meeting place in case you have a home fire or cannot access your home.
- Give each member of your household a printed list of emergency contacts. This will be useful when their cell phones are not available or phone batteries are dead.
- Make sure young children know their full names as well as your name and home address. Their knowing this information can help responsible adults reunite you with your children in a disaster or emergency.
- Assign emergency duties to older children and adults. For example, if authorities have issued an evacuation order, you will need to gather all of your essentials and leave as directed. Older children may be responsible for assembling all of the family’s emergency go (travel) kits, getting pets, turning off lights, or other performing specific tasks. Adults should be responsible for keeping the vehicle fueled, planning evacuation routes (always have more than one way out of your home, neighborhood, and community), gathering important papers and medicines, and making sure everyone is accounted for. At least one member of the household should include cash in a go kit or evacuation essentials. ATMs may be down or out of cash during a disaster.
Don’t wait for the disaster to figure out how you will communicate with your family. Make a plan. Your plan will not look like my plan, nor like your neighbor’s plan—that’s okay. Just make and share it with your family and friends.
Today.
Radiological Planning and Animal Agriculture
Guest blogger Curt Emanuel is County Extension Director in Boone County, Indiana. He is also an EDEN delegate representing Purdue University.
Are you a livestock owner located within 50 miles of a nuclear power plant? Is there a site nearby where radiological materials are stored or manufactured? Is your farm near a highway or railway over which nuclear materials are transported? Are you near a nuclear waste storage facility, nuclear weapons complex, or shipyard where nuclear-powered vessels are docked or serviced? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then planning for a radiological incident should be part of your farm’s emergency plan.
Many people, on hearing the word, radiation, have visions of a nuclear holocaust. However, a radiological incident from a domestic source will most likely be a low level release involving contaminated airborne particles. The landscape will not begin to glow, your hair will not begin to fall out, and you won’t suffer immediate radiation sickness. But this does not mean this type of release poses no hazard. You should still protect yourself and your family and, if you own livestock, you should protect your animals.
The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (U.S. NRC) is the lead agency for planning for a radiological emergency. In cooperation with other agencies, the U.S. NRC has developed a series of steps, known as protective actions, which livestock owners may be instructed to take in case of an incident. Knowing what these steps are and making sure you are able to perform them is the key to developing your emergency plan.
How to Protect Your Livestock
Protective actions for livestock are designed to keep the animals from getting radioactive materials in them, through inhalation or ingestion, or on them. If a radiological incident occurs you may be instructed to:
- Bring your animals in to shelter
- Only feed and water animals from protected sources
- Restrict grazing on pasture
- Reduce the ventilation in your livestock barns to prevent radioactive particles from entering buildings
- Cover any unprotected feed and water sources
There are many resources available to help you develop your plan. States with a nuclear power plant have instructions on what to do in a radiological event, including information specifically for owners of livestock. Even states without a nuclear power plant have plans to address radiological emergencies. Check with your state Emergency Management Agency, Health Department, or Department of Agriculture.
Among other things, your plan should insure that you have enough protected feed and water for seven days. You should have tarps or six mil (minimum) thickness plastic to cover unprotected feed, such as hay stored outside, and water sources and water troughs. You should know how you will quickly move your animals to shelter and how low you can safely adjust the ventilation of confinement buildings.
Most importantly, you should be aware of how you can listen to emergency messages. Remember that you should never put you or your family at risk to protect an animal.
And always listen to and
follow all emergency messages!
Free Webinar on this Topic
Curt and Dr. Julie Smith recently conducted a webinar on radiological events and animal agriculture. Watch the recording for additional tips on preparing for such an emergency.
Watch this Webinar
Preparedness Begins at Home
Wed, 02 Mar 2016 17:21:22 +0000
Meteorological Spring began March 1st and with it comes a heightened emphasis on severe weather safety and preparation. 2016 has seen an increased number of tornadoes and other severe weather events over the past few years. Is that a predictor of spring weather? One answer is…it only takes one.
It only takes one tornado or severe storm to change lives forever. It only takes one to cause millions of dollars of damage. It only takes one to impact the economy of a community. It only takes one to destroy infrastructure, schools, churches, parks, public buildings, etc.
Photo by Rick Atterberry
As we remind ourselves of safety precautions, we recognize that being prepared can impact survivability reducing deaths and injuries. Damage to property can be mitigated by employing proper construction techniques.
Many states observe Severe Weather Preparedness Weeks in the spring. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Weather Ready Nation efforts consolidate information on best practices.
Beyond that information, now is a good time to review threats that are specific to a given location. Is the area prone to flooding, especially flash floods? Are outdoor sports venues equipped with lightning detectors? Are evacuation and sheltering policies in place?
FEMA
Another important piece of information is local protocols for operation of outdoor warning sirens. In general, these sirens are NOT necessarily intended to be heard inside homes and businesses. Some communities sound an all clear. In others, a second activation of the sirens means the threat is continuing for an additional period of time. Some locations employ sirens for flash flooding, nuclear power plant issues, tsunamis and other threats. Be aware of local policies. Always have an alternate way of receiving severe weather information…the All-Hazards Weather Radio System, warning apps, web-based warning systems.
Personal preparedness is everyone’s responsibility. Review shelter areas at home and at work. Create appropriate “Go Kits” for each location plus vehicles. Devise a communications plan to aid in reunification of families and co-workers. Be aware of those in the neighborhood or workplace with special needs who may need your assistance. And, always, be extra vigilant when severe weather is a possibility. A community can only be as prepared as its residents.
Being Prepared is Part of Who You Are
Build a Kit Video Provided: https://youtu.be/kJuDXorO9_g
Youth and Disasters
Fri, 12 Feb 2016 23:07:07 +0000
Post by Lynette Black, 4-H Youth Development Faculty, Oregon State University
When it comes to the effects of disasters, children are a vulnerable population. Understanding the unique needs of children and including these needs in disaster planning will help them better cope with life following the disaster. Let’s take a look at this unique population.
They Rely on Adults
Children are physically and emotionally dependent on the caring adults in their lives. During disasters they will turn to the adult to keep them safe. If the adults are unprepared, the children are left vulnerable both physically and emotionally. This means child care providers, educators, afterschool providers, coaches and other caring adults need to be prepared with disaster plans that include knowledge of how to respond to disasters, comprehensive evacuation plans, and safe and efficient family reunification plans.
They are Not Small Adults
Children are more susceptible to the hazards caused by disasters due to their underdeveloped bodies and brains. Their skin is thinner, they take more breaths per minute, they are closer to the ground, the require more fluids per pound, and they need to eat more often; leaving the child more vulnerable to physical harm from the disaster. In addition, their brains are not fully developed leading to limited understanding of what they experienced and possible prolonged mental health issues. Since children take their cures from their caring adult, the adult’s reactions and responses can either add to or minimize the child’s stress level. Preparations for disasters need to include not only survival kits including first aid supplies for the physical body, but also teaching children (and their adults) stress reducing coping skills for positive mental health.
Their Routine Equals Comfort
Children need routine to help them make sense of their world. Keeping the child’s schedule as consistent as possible following a disaster is crucial to their sense of well-being. The reopening of school, afterschool and recreational programming as soon as possible adds stability the child’s life. Helping families return to a routine known to the child (snack time, bed time, story time) is of utmost importance and helps the child find a new norm post-disaster.
They are At Risk
At particular risk for prolonged mental health and substance abuse issues is the adolescent population. Their brains are in a developmental stage where, in simple terms, the executive function is underdeveloped leaving the emotional part of the brain in charge. This causes this age group to “act without thinking” and feel emotions more intensely than other ages. Disasters increase the typical teen emotions and behaviors leading to greater risk taking, impulsivity and recklessness. They also suffer from increased anxiety and depression and can develop cognitive/concentration difficulties. The caring adults in an adolescent’s life can help recovery by being available to them; listen without judgment, stay calm, serve as a good role model, encourage involvement in community recovery work and resumption of regular social and recreational activities. Understand that with adolescents the effects of the disaster may last longer and may even reappear later in life.
Disasters and traumatic events touch all of us, but can have a particularly traumatic effect on children. The good news is most children will recover, especially if the caring adults in their lives take the steps before, during and after the event to provide basic protective factors and to restore or preserve normalcy in their lives.
See Lynette’s webinar on this topic. If you are a childcare provider, you may also be interested in this online course on disaster preparedness for childcare providers.
View Impacts of Disaster on Youth Webcast
Seven Reasons to be Prepared for Disaster
Thu, 28 Jan 2016 19:51:58 +0000
Do you think a disaster won’t happen to you? Or, do you think it might, but there’s nothing you can do? This article is for you and anyone else needing a reason to be prepared for disaster! Would you like to print this list? Here you go!
…
Growing the EDEN Resource Catalog and Youth Programs
Mon, 11 Jan 2016 18:46:15 +0000
Pat Skinner, EDEN web manager, is blog post author.
The networking support team at LSU is pleased to have Debbie Hurlbert putting her energy into these two important growth areas, working primarily with the Information Clearinghouse Committee and the youth-focused members of EDEN’s Family and Consumer Science/4-H Youth PAWG. If you’ve been to either of the last two EDEN Annual Meetings you’ll remember Debbie as the person behind the 4-H youth themselves presenting their mitigation program in Alabama (a first youth presence at an EDEN Annual meeting), and helping to convene a small youth programs group in Las Cruces, to see if the recent surge in youth programs is sustainable, and warrants a separate PAWG. As a result of that meeting EDEN now has a Youth and Disasters Pinterest board. The board can be found at https://www.pinterest.com/edenpins/youth-and-disasters/.
What YOU can do to help EDEN work better for you
Here are two things you can do!
The first thing you can do.
If you have youth-audience programs and educational/exercise/training materials, make sure Debbie knows about them. She has already scoured the past annual meeting agendas and found quite a bit, but we know there’s more going on than we hear about at these meetings. She reached out to Lynette Black, Ryan Akers and Susan Kerr, who have submitted a proposal for PILD. She’s even started posting in EDEN’s Youth and Disasters Pinterest channel. You can make simple entries here, and Debbie will get back to you for the details!
And now for the second.
If you have educational resources (all audiences) you’d like to recommend to other delegates, help Debbie get them into the Resource Catalog. Start by seeing if they’re already IN the catalog. From the Resource Catalog home page, http://public.eden.lsuagcenter.com/ResourceCatalog , search for your state name. Find your Institution on the left “Filter List.” For example, the search for Louisiana returns 29 items, of which 28 are for the LSU Institution and one is for Louisiana Sea Grant. Click on your institution name for a list of your institution’s resources. Send Debbie your catalog suggestions here.
What Kinds of Resources is EDEN Looking For?
Access to shared state resources was very high on the list of benefits of EDEN in the recent delegate survey, and the catalog is a primary means of doing that. As you have time, explore the tags, and see how the filters use tags to refine search results. The more you know, the more we’ll grow!
[List of Resource Types omitted from archive]
NEW Free Guides for Restoring Disaster Damaged Homes
Thu, 07 Jan 2016 16:17:34 +0000
Post by Claudette Hanks Reichel, Ed.D., LSU AgCenter Professor, Extension Housing Specialist and Director, LaHouse Resource Center
www.lsuagcenter.com/LaHouse | creichel@agcenter.lsu.edu | (225) 578-2378
With the spreading floods and other disasters, I want to alert EDENites to a set of new, free educational materials from HUD for dealing with damaged homes. These differ from many other materials I’ve seen in that the core thread is “health”, both during and after recovery.
When homes are damaged, disaster survivors face the daunting and dangerous task of clean-up and repairs – often with little or no professional help. All are eager to restore their homes and lives quickly, yet many are not aware of all the hazards that can be worsened by the process.
To alleviate that, various educational resources were recently developed through the U.S. Dept. of HUD’s Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes working with Cooperative Extension Service and others. They’re now available from www.hud.gov/healthyhomes web site’s Post Disaster Recovery and Resources link under Popular Topics.
The flagship “how-to” guide is Rebuild Healthy Homes: Guide to Post-disaster Restoration for a Safe and Healthy Home. It’s a detailed, highly-illustrated reference to help homeowners, volunteers and other workers safely restore homes damaged by any type of natural disaster – from floods and storms, to wildfire and earthquakes – to end up with more than just a livable home, but to protect the future wellbeing of their families.
Content includes the Top 10 Tips; personal protective gear; assessing structural and health hazards; work preparation; best practices for clean-out, gutting, decontamination and repair; ways to “restore for more than before” with resilient, energy-saving and healthy home improvements; and, other resources. Content conforms to new federal interagency recommendations for dealing with mold, lead, asbestos and radon after disasters.
This 72-page guidebook was extensively reviewed and refined by disaster survivors and stakeholders from across the nation, including Extension housing specialists; I was primary author. It’s available as a free online pdf file that can be printed in whole or part, as well as a free mobile app for both iPhone and Android devices (search Rebuild Healthy Homes in the app stores).
Other Disaster Resources
- Healthy Homes Disaster Recovery and Response Videos
Three short YouTube videos: Restoring Your Home After a Natural Disaster, Returning to Your Flood Damaged Home, and Addressing Mold after a Disaster. - Indoor Environmental Pollutants Brochures
A resource for families and for contractors developed by a federal interagency working group to create consistent guidance on post-disaster clean-up and hazard reduction from asbestos, lead, mold and radon in homes. - Consumer Tips for Post-Disaster Home Restoration
A 12-page online pdf overview of home health hazards and restoration safety steps. - Guide for Team Leaders to Help Disaster Victims Get Back to a Healthy Home
A 14-page online pdf. - Important Information for Volunteers in Helping Disaster Victims Get Back to a Healthy Home, a 2-page online pdf to create awareness of restoration hazards.
- OLHCHH Disaster Recovery Toolkit
The HUD Disaster Recovery Toolkit is a 15-page directory of HUD’s resources with descriptions and regional contacts, including a 2-page flyer for duplication and distribution.
Don’t forget about the app!
How to use a Ready-Made Twitter Campaign to Promote Hurricane Preparedness
Mon, 04 Jan 2016 13:57:02 +0000
Treye Rice
How can you motivate large groups to spread Disaster Preparedness information for you on social media networks such as Twitter? You do it by providing EVERYTHING they need in one, ready-made campaign. In this poster, I visually showcase the ready-made Twitter campaign produced for distribution in Extension coastal districts in Texas. The campaign includes ready-made Tweets, shareable graphics, schedules for distribution, and tracking methods using hashtags and link shorteners. This type of ready-made campaign can easily be duplicated and used as a model for promoting any Extension program, event or resource.
Using Twitter for Hurricane Preparedness Video provided: https://youtu.be/FBEBElKRXEs
View the campaign materials and how-to video here:
http://texashelp.tamu.edu/using-twitter.php
Recent and Upcoming EDEN Webinars
Wed, 16 Dec 2015 17:15:45 +0000
Here’s a list of EDEN webinars that have taken place in the last several months and the webinar schedule for 2016. With topics on everything from livestock safety, preventing foodborne illnesses and exploring the Sea Grant Coastal Resilience toolkit, there is surely something for everyone! Don’t forget you can watch on your mobile devices on the go. Also, if you have a disaster education board on your Pinterest account, pin the image at the bottom of this page, so you can always get back here!
Livestock First Aid and Safety
Injured animals and animals under stress react differently than they do in normal circumstances. Scott Cotton, Wyoming Extension ANR Area Educator and Dr. John Duncan, Area Veterinary Medical Officer for USDA APHIS explained what to do in this 60-minute webinar.
Practical Livestock Evacuation
Scott Cotton, Wyoming Extension ANR Area Educator discussed practical steps to a safe and successful livestock evacuation in the event of a disaster.
Exploring Sea Grant’s Coastal Resilience Toolkit
Sea Grant Extension professionals have tried and tested the tools presented by Dr. Katherine Bunting-Howarth, Associate Director, New York Sea Grant and Assistant Director, Cornell Cooperative Extension. If you serve a Great Lakes or Marine coastal community, this webinar is for you.
Foodborne Outbreaks–What You Need to Know
Dr. Soohyoun Ahn discussed outbreak trends and how to prevent outbreaks. Keep your families safe from foodborne illness. Watch this webinar.
