Agency supporting National Hurricane Preparedness Week efforts in Texas
COLLEGE STATION – In conjunction with the state’s upcoming Hurricane Preparedness Week May 25-31 and other efforts, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service is reminding residents of its many disaster and emergency-related materials available, including materials in e-book format for mobile device users.
“With hurricane season approaching, this is a key time for AgriLife Extension to again make Texas residents aware of these materials,” said Dr. Andy Vestal, AgriLife Extension director for homeland security and emergency management at Texas A&M University in College Station. “The Atlantic hurricane season starts June 1, so this is the time to build awareness and readiness.”
He said AgriLife Extension is supporting the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the National Hurricane Center and other organizations to increase public awareness related to hurricane preparation.
Vestal said like FEMA, the hurricane center and other public safety-oriented organizations, AgriLife Extension is asking that Texans prepare their families and businesses for hurricanes and tropical storms before they hit.
Vestal said AgriLife Extension disaster- and emergency-related publications, including those in e-book format, can be found on the Texas Extension Disaster Education Network, or Texas EDEN website at http://texashelp.tamu.edu. He said e-book materials may be downloaded to any mobile device supporting the e-book format, including phones, tablets and e-readers.
“These disaster preparedness and recovery materials provide information on how individuals, families and businesses can prepare for and recover from a disaster,” said Dr. Joyce Cavanagh, AgriLife Extension specialist in family development and resource management, College Station. “They contain practical, useful information provided by AgriLife andTexas A&M University System experts, as well as experts from state and federal agencies and from throughout the national land-grant university Extension system.”
She said disaster preparedness and recovery materials available in print and e-book format include :
–Texas, Get Ready! Be Prepared to Survive and Recover from a Disaster: Protect yourself and your household during and immediately following a catastrophe by making a disaster plan and disaster kit. Plan to take care of yourself without outside help for at least three days. Special considerations include keeping food safe to eat, sheltering in place and discussing a disaster with children. Available in English and Spanish.
– After a Disaster – Information to Help Your Family Recover: This guide provides credible and reliable information on recovery for individuals and families in urban and rural communities, emphasizing how to reduce the damage associated with a disaster. Available in English and Spanish.
– Preparing Your Evacuation “Grab and Go” Box: Explains the need for an individual and family evacuation plan, as well as suggested contents for an evacuation “to-go” box containing financial records to be prepared for emergency situations.
– Emergency Food and Water Supplies: Safe food and water supplies are a major concern following a natural disaster. Families who live in disaster-prone areas can benefit from this information on how to safely handle food and water in the days immediately following a disaster.
– Handling Food and Drinks When Losing Power: This brief guide explains what is safe to eat or refreeze and what should be thrown out after loss of power to the home.
– Disinfecting Water After a Disaster: After a disaster such as a hurricane or flood, water supplies may have become contaminated or been temporarily cut off. This guide briefly explains how to disinfect water using household chemicals, how to find water in and around your home, and how to store water safely.
– Tree Care Kit: This guide helps show how to improve urban tree health, position trees to better withstand hurricanes and other severe weather, and minimize damage to and loss of trees and surrounding structures.
– Hurricane Preparedness for Livestock Producers: This guide shows how to help protect livestock from injury should a hurricane occur and briefly covers vaccinations, barn preparation, livestock evacuations, feed, and hay and water storage.
– Care and Treatment of Livestock After a Hurricane: Hurricanes can put livestock in immediate danger of drowning from flooding, plus flying debris or collapsing buildings can injure animals. This publication has information on what livestock owners might expect after a hurricane strikes and provides suggestions on handling affected livestock
Information can also be found through social media at the following sites:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/txeden
Twitter: http://twitter.com/txeden
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/texashelp
-30-