Kentucky Extension Strike Team Development

    Grants and Contracts Details

    Description

    EDEN Grant Abstract According to the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) In 2023, the Unites States experienced 28 separate weather or climate disasters that each resulted in at least $1 billion in damages. Kentucky is experiencing an alarming increase of "Billion" dollar weather disasters - 84 since 1980 and 5 in 2022 alone. Extension agents and staff are asked to assist with disaster recovery efforts. In fact, Extension agents are written into County Emergency Operations Plans, Emergency Support Function 11, “Agriculture and Natural Resources.” Disaster impacted county agents have stressed the importance of in-depth training opportunities, and the importance of developing “Strike Teams.” Development and implementation of strike teams takes time and resources. A toolkit to aid this development process would be beneficial for Extension leadership to use when taking on the new endeavor. In response to agent feedback from training provided by the Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) during the UK Extension Disaster Preparedness Conference, leadership would begin the process of recruiting, training, and maintaining regional teams to serve on "Strike Teams." These agents would travel to impacted counties to support existing Extension agents and staff during a disaster. Position descriptions and training would be developed in partnership with EDEN, Kentucky Emergency Management and Kentucky Department of Public Health. Recruitment of interested agents would take place during regional meetings and via Directors’ recommendation. Extension Disaster Strike Teams will be formed with Extension agents and staff from across Kentucky. These strike teams will represent regions within the state. Members will engage in regular training exercises and meetings provided by EDEN, Kentucky Emergency Management, and Kentucky Public Health. These agents would visit various areas of the state to “see” the terrain to which they could be working in should a disaster occur. The agents making up these teams will learn how to implement specified disaster recovery programming and will be ready to assist county offices and staff should a disaster take place. Recruitment information, meeting agendas, training materials, organizational checklists, programming outlines, will all collectively become a model/toolkit for EDEN to share because of this grant funding.
    StatusActive
    Effective start/end date6/1/2412/31/24

    Funding

    • eXtension Foundation: $10,000.00

    Fingerprint

    Explore the research topics touched on by this project. These labels are generated based on the underlying awards/grants. Together they form a unique fingerprint.