National Disaster Preparedness Month, celebrated in September,
reminds us of the important educational role Extension and the Extension
Disaster Education Network (EDEN) play in increasing the ability of
Minnesotans to prepare for and recover from natural disasters.
When record breaking amounts of rain
fell in the Duluth area in June, causing unprecedented and unexpected
flooding, Extension responded by mobilizing staff who provided
flood-recovery information to 730 families at local disaster recovery
centers. The educators shared Recovery After Disaster: The Family Financial Toolkit,
and answered questions on recovering damaged documents, recordkeeping
for insurance, food safety, septic systems, mold, and the effect of
flood water on lawns and gardens.
The effort did not go unnoticed. The
Governor's Disaster Proclamation stated that the state looked to
Extension to provide "information on a variety of basic household
questions and how to prepare food safely following a flood and guide
flood victims through financial decisions related to disaster recovery."
The EDEN team will continue to
evaluate and coordinate Extension's disaster response, and will ensure
that our efforts are coordinated effectively among Extension program
expertise and partner organizations to offer the best support and
response to those affected by disasters. If you have ideas for programs,
educational resources, community response or communications, please
contact Bob Byrnes.
Katherine Waters
Extension Program Leader, Food Systems
Leave a comment