Emergency Management Programs of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
Employees of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service are not first responders. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension functions to support certain key state agencies (see below) with its capabilities in subject matter expertise, mass media, volunteer development, public education, industry relations and county government and community networking strengths. Emergency educational programming utilizes a variety of formats including one-on-one contact, public meetings, demonstrations, internet, radio, television, and printed news releases.

Texas Forest Service – Wildfires
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension provides public information and educational resources, visual learning resources and promotes mitigation practices for landowners, residents, businesses and county governments across rural and urban-rural wildlands of Texas.

Department of State Health Services – Preparedness
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension provides all-hazards evacuation and shelter in place preparedness and mitigation outreach and educational resources for individuals, families, communities, businesses and county governments.

Texas Animal Health Commission – Animal Issues
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension provides public information and education targeting agricultural producers, manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers. We also provide agricultural disaster assessment and livestock response and recovery during disease and non-disease animal incidents. County Extension Agents (CEA) assist County Emergency Management Coordinators (CEMC) to establish local Animal Issues Committee (AIC) and write County Animal Response Plans (CARP) supporting county government and U.S.D.A.

Texas Division of Emergency Management – Public Information
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension provides public information and education to address preparedness, mitigation response and recovery.

Texas Division of Emergency Management – Drought Issues
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension provides educational materials and services related to agricultural crop production systems, range management, risk management, and urban landscape and water use. These educational programs are designed to make field crops, forage, landscapes, and urban homes more efficient in utilizing water or less prone to drought and heat stress.

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension maintains its emergency communications and coordination capabilities and remains poised to activate the following elements in time of crisis.

20 administrators at the agency Headquarters Operation Center (ICS framework)
8 agency liaisons to the State Operations Center (SOC) in Austin
24 agency liaisons to Disaster District Committees (DDC) state-wide
agency Emergency Management Website http://Texashelp.tamu.edu
provide an agency liaison at the EOC of state agencies as requested
research teams to plan and conduct evaluation and accountability service
4 livestock specialists on the State Animal Response Team (ART)
40 county extension agents on seven agricultural strike teams (mission-ready-packages)
the news and public affairs division of Texas A&M AgriLife Communications
the news and communications experts for Public Information Officer duties
AgNews.tamu.edu web capabilities to deliver news and educational materials directly into news rooms across the state and nation
facilitate the media’s access to subject matter experts across Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Texas Sea Grant Programs and Texas A&M University
Operational capabilities to stand up and manage locally managed or state supported Livestock Supply Points (LSP)
36 CEAs on six Hurricane Recovery Education Strike Teams (mission-ready-packages)
12 Agricultural Landowner Liaisons (ALL) to support Texas A&M Forest Service during major wildfires

Emergency Management Training

All CEAs plus other Extension employees involved in emergency management will be required to take three emergency management courses:

Extension Emergency Management 101 – Topics include: Preparedness and Mitigation Resources, Roles and Responsibilities
Extension Emergency Management 102 – Topics include: Response and Recovery Plans, Resources, Roles and Responsibilities
- On TrainTraiq search the course catalog for Course #2113462
- Brief Description of the Course: County Extension Agents use thir networking, communications and education skills to enhance Community and Family Preparedness which is key to resiliency following unexpected incidents such as fire, flood, tornado, influenza, epidemic, or hurricane. EM-102 CEA All Hazards Response and Recovery is one of three Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service EM courses that are required of all CEAs. The other two courses are FEMA Incident Command System ICS-100 and Extension EM 101 CEA All Hazards Preparedness and Mitigation.
Incident Command System (ICS) IS 100b

Newly hired CEAs individuals will be required to complete the courses within the 1st year of employment.

All CEAs play other Extension employees involved in EM will be required to retake their course every 5 years or a refresher. The next scheduled 5 year refresher will be in 2017.

Emergency Management Training 101

Preparedness and Mitigation

This course outlines the roles and responsibilities of Extension personnel regarding the first two stages of emergency management.

Click here to visit our YouTube channel to view the training video titled EM 101

Stage One: Preparedness

To help communities get ready for disasters well ahead of any event, Extension provides residents the educational resources they need to prepare. This stage requires planning and collaboration by Extension personnel with county and city departments and officials, local schools and universities, Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOADs), non-profits and faith-based organizations

Agents work with individuals, families and businesses to help them be better prepared for disasters. For example, they help childcare and elder care providers with planning for individuals with special needs by developing emergency action plans and assembling emergency supply kits.

Extension hosts an inventory of disaster preparedness and recovery materials available at http://texashelp.tamu.edu so that agents, specialists, other educators and the public can have constant access to educational information that will guide them as they prepare for unexpected events.

Stage Two: Mitigation

County agents and specialists provide numerous educational resources and conduct family, home, business and farm demonstrations and tours to reduce the incidents and/or consequences of infectious diseases, wildfires, food safety issues, floods, bio-security regarding crops and livestock.

Emergency Management Training 102

Response and Recovery

This one hour course outlines the roles and responsibilities of Extension personnel regarding the last two stages of emergency management.

Click here to visit our YouTube channel to view the training video titled EM 102

Stage Three: Response

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension provides timely, relevant educational information through mobilizing internal resources through the following methods:

Activation of the Texas A&M AgriLife Communications news network, which maintains long-standing relationships with urban and rural news media to deliver updated information to the public
Providing professional with subject matter expertise to assist local and state emergency management groups, health departments and animal issues and committees
Activation of Agricultural Strike Teams with livestock expertise to support local land and livestock owners in times of crisis

Stage Four: Recovery

Extension moves quickly to help communities regain normalcy after a disaster hits. Agents recognize that a long-term recovery process hinges on promptly equipping people and businesses with information on such topics as the following:

Financial records management through the recovery of important family and financial documents as well as medical records
Steps (in English and Spanish) for controlling mold, preventing fraud, homeowner’s property insurance, operating equipment safely, and evaluating and handling of food and drinks
Ways to protect housing from further damage and tops on how to deal with damaged furnishings and appliances

Independent Study

Incident Command System (ICS) IS100b

“IS” stands for Independent Study (online)

Course is available on-line at: http://training.fema.gov/is/crslist.asp?page=all

Upon completion file and a personal file, share a copy of your certificate with your immediate supervisor for filing.

Texas EDEN – Public Resources

http://texashelp.tamu.edu

Texas Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) is a collaborative educational network dedicated to educating citizens about disaster mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. Texas EDEN is a part of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and is affiliated with National Extension Disaster Education Network.

This site is intended to accommodate Texas AgriLife Extension Agents and all Texas citizens by sharing education resources to reduce the impact of natural and man-made disasters for individuals, families and communities.

The primary goal of Texas Eden are to:

Provide credible and reliable information relating to disaster preparedness and recovery for individuals, families, and urban and/or rural communities.
Reduce the impact associated with disaster by disseminating educational materials related to disaster mitigation, preparedness and recovery.

Emergency Management