Preparedness, Response, & Recovery Approaching Emergency Management from a Rural Perspective
The Challenge of Emergency Management The process of making the public think about things they don t want to think about, spend money they don t have, preparing for something they don t believe will ever happen! (Selves, 1995) Hope is not a strategy. (Multiple)
Emergency Management Cycle All emergency management agencies, regardless of jurisdiction or area of concern, exist on this cycle at all times. Most time is spent in the preparedness phase.
Challenges of Rural Preparedness Challenges of: Resources People Geography Diversity Budget Perception
Challenges of Rural Preparedness Solutions must be found through: Creativity Personal Responsibility Public/Private Cooperation Volunteerism
Steps Toward Personal Preparedness There are generally 3 steps in becoming personally prepared to face a disaster or emergency situation. 1.Make a Plan 2.Build a Kit 3.Stay Informed
Step 1 Make a Plan First, determine what threats you, your family, or your operation are susceptible to. Risk = Frequency + Potential Impact
Step 1 Make a Plan Second, think through what special circumstances you, your family, or your operations has to deal with. Keep detailed records. Third, determine how you will communicate with your family or employees during an emergency event.
Step 1 Make a Plan Fourth, consider what you will do if you are asked to shelter-in-place or evacuate your home. Finally, practice and maintain your plan.
Step 2 Build a Kit A Basic Emergency Kit Should Include: YOUR PLAN Water (1 gal. per person, per day) Food (non-perishable, or a long shelf-life) Whistle Flashlight, with BATTERIES AM/FM Radio, with BATTERIES Keys Cell phone charger NOAA Weather Radio First-Aid kit Toiletry items, MEDICATIONS, second pair of eyewear Blankets/Clothing Antibacterial hand sanitizer Important papers/cash Special considerations Pet supplies
Step 3 Stay Informed Seek out reliable information sources: Local Media (TV/Radio) NOAA Weather Radio Known Twitter/Facebook/Social Media Apps for preparedness Local emergency notification systems Only share information from a reliable source! Actively dispel rumors!
Building Resilient Systems As you think through the threats that may threaten your operation, resiliency becomes a key concept. In essence, how do we limit the affects of a disaster and then bounce back as quickly as possible? What would resiliency look like for your operation? For your community?
Building Resilient Systems A key concept of resiliency is COOP (or COB). Components of a COOP plan: Essential Functions Alternate Facilities Delegation of Authority (or Chain of Command) Essential Personnel Record Keeping Financial Considerations Communications
Taking the Next Step Learn more about disaster preparedness! For more in depth, hazard specific, resources regarding disaster preparedness for rural communities, go to www.prep4agthreats.org.
Taking the Next Step Get to know your local emergency manager every county in Kansas has one!
Taking the Next Step Look for ways to volunteer on a local level that match with your interests and ability: CERT SKYWARN CART or KSART Local non-profits or charities Volunteer Fire Departments
Taking the Next Step The Kansas Agriculture Emergency Response Corps is developed and maintained by the Kansas Department of Agriculture to utilize the skills, expertise, and passion of Kansans to assist state and federal staff in responding to agricultural incidents.
Transitioning from Response to Recovery Disasters begin locally and they will end locally. This usually means a long-term recovery phase that can last from weeks and months to years or decades. Recovery may take place in phases related to the incident and your operation. Response All Hazards Recovery Response FAD Recovery
Keys to a Successful Recovery A whole-community approach for input. Learn from others experiences. Remembering what makes a location unique or special. Public-private partnerships and cooperation. Accepting help when needed (spontaneous volunteers/donations). Patience! And a willingness to adapt/adjust as conditions change.
KDA Response Model The Kansas Department of Agriculture is the lead agency listed under Emergency Support Function 11 in the Kansas Response Plan. During large-scale incidents, KDA representatives are co-located in the State Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in Topeka with other statewide response partners. KDA serves a support function for most incidents, but would be the lead agency in an agriculture specific incident Food and Ag Incident Annex.
KDA Response Model What types of incidents might KDA take the lead in response? Foreign Animal Disease Outbreak Plant Disease or Pest Outbreak Intentional Food Safety Issue Certain Water Issues Of these threats, a Foreign Animal Disease Outbreak is amongst the highest priority for KDA.
Economic Impact The Revised Risk Assessment for a nation-wide foot and mouth disease outbreak reported potential economic losses of between $16 billion and $140 billion. Direct Costs Indemnity Depopulation Disposal Cleaning and disinfection Indirect Costs Exports shutdown Lost farm income and taxes Consumer confidence/fear
KDA Annual IMT Exercise SAMS K
Responding to Other Incidents KDA is happy to assist with response or recovery efforts when it is not the lead agency but the incident has significantly impacted a sector of the agricultural industry. Examples of such events could include: Wildfires Severe weather or tornadoes Winter weather HAZMAT or Transportation Incidents Industrial Incidents
Thank you. David Hogg Assistant Emergency Management Coordinator david.hogg@ks.gov