Disaster Recovery: You CAN Get There

From Here Cathy Yandow

Webmaster & Communications Support Specialist UVM Extension

May 29, 2012

Key Story Points • Vermont geography • Storm & damage • UVM Extension’s role in post-Irene

recovery • Tools UVM Extension used • Lessons learned

New England Geography • “You can’t get there

from here” • Mountains, valleys,

rivers • Few direct routes

between points • Towns, roads,

railroads parallel rivers

http://www.vpr.net/community/gallery/157/, GMRC

The Green Mountain State

August 31, 2011. Waitsfield, Vt. www.mansfieldheliflight.com

Timeline • August 25-26:

• Based on weather forecast, constructed “preparedness” site

• Saturday/Sunday, August 27-28: • “Irene” hit Vermont

• Monday, Labor Day, August 29: • NW Vermont not as hard hit as other areas of state • Switch to recovery-based resources

• Friday, September 2 : • EDEN conference call

Preparedness Site • Vt. state plan commitment • August 25-26 - Emergency planning

resources: – FEMA – NOAA – Vt. State Emergency Management links – EDEN & CES resources (e.g., LSU, NDSU,

etc.) – eXtension – American Red Cross – USDA

Preparedness Site • Emergency supply info • Preparing for flooding & power outages • Pet & livestock safety • Post-storm food safety • Property clean-up safety

Irene’s Track • Slow movement up Atlantic seaboard,

storm picked up more rain than forecast • Southwest to northeast -- New York State

& New England • Across the “spine of the state,” the

mountains • Mountainous terrain, slowing of storm, rain

= torrential rain, flooding

Storm Damage • 14-county disaster declaration • Vt. National Guard assisted by Guard from 6

other states (Maine, Illinois, Ohio, NH, South Carolina, West Virginia, Virginia)

• 260 roads closed (not including municipal road segments)

• 531 miles closed • 33 state highway bridges closed • 200 bridges damaged

Storm Damage • Rail line damage, 107 washouts • 200 miles of rail line impassable • 6 rail bridges badly damaged • Power outages • 13 landlocked towns • Flood waters damaged 400+ acres for fruit

& vegetable production (estimated to approximate $2.24 million)

August 31, 2011. Hancock, Vt. www.mansfieldheliflight.com

UVM Extension • Recovery efforts started Labor Day, Aug.

29 • Chittenden County less damaged • UVM & UVM Extension offices, services

uninterrupted • Nearly 100% Extension personnel

available (several lived in communities isolated by flooding)

• Build on existing relationships with state agencies, FSA, legislators, others

UVM Extension • Focus:

– Damage assessment assistance to farmers – Information distribution to Extension

colleagues & public – Website became comprehensive information

source – Social media use to broaden reach – “Boots on the ground”/cleanup activities – Ag workshops on feed/forage safety

Coordinating Role • Vt. Ag Agency infrastructure badly

damaged • Extension able to provide means to

provide outreach to damaged farms • Needed ability to visit farms (some

isolated), document damage, take photos, manage intake paperwork

State Infrastructure • VT Agency of

Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM) losses – Offices flooded – Web site

• Overwhelming need & request for services

“Rebuild Waterbury” photo gallery http://rebuildwaterbury.org

Equine specialist Betsy Greene coordinated delivery of emergency feed to horse operations in Rochester, Vt.

Extension’s ‘Irene’ Toolbox • Smart phones • Conference calls • SharePoint • iPads • Web site • Social media

Smart Phones • Consistent

communication • Damage

documentation, photos

Flooding damaged 6,000+ acres of corn in Vermont, creating a serious feed shortage on many farms.

Conference Calls • Daily (less frequently as needs changed) • COORDINATE tasks, information

distribution • Assess current situation, needs, priorities,

problems, brainstorm solutions • Dean, faculty specialists, program staff,

admin staff, web staff

iPad • 3G/4G enabled for statewide use • Complete on-site completion & collection

of intake damage assessment forms • Upload to SharePoint site for review by

VAAFM, transfer to FSA

SharePoint • “VT Farm Disaster Response”:

• UVM Extension • VT Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets

(VAAFM) • Natural Resource Conservation Districts/VT

Association of Conservation Districts

• Confidential intake/assessment forms (needed for assistance)

• Centralized paperwork management • Team discussions

SharePoint Printable resources & forms

• Vt. Ag Agency resources for farmers • “Be Familiar with Crop Damage Reporting

Requirements” (info sheet) • Damage Assessment Form • “What to Do Next” (recovery guide, info

sheet for farmers) • Unemployment Information factsheet (pdf) • “Interpreting the Results of Soil Tests for

Heavy Metals” (info sheet)

SharePoint • Intake/upload of Damage Assessment

Forms (confidential, used by FSA) • Excel spreadsheets

• Needs / Donations • Farm assistance (manpower!) requests

• Requests for goods, money, assistance & donations managed via Excel spreadsheets

• Conference call notes

Web Site/Social Media • General information for farmers, public &

colleagues – News & updates from:

• Media • Local municipalities • State government & agencies • Federal agencies (FEMA, USDA)

– CES, EDEN, eXtension resources

Web Site/Social Media – Farms – Families & Stress – Finance & Taxes – Food Safety, – Homes – Schools – Donations, volunteering, community

fundraising

Web Site • Ag & business information

– Damage documentation forms, process, where to get assistance

– Natural resource impact – including property tax changes

– Factsheets on taxes, unemployment, crops, forage, etc.

– Extension services & state emergency programs

August 29, 2011. Bolton, Vt. www.mansfieldheliflight.com

University of Vermont • UVM Interim president former

Extension/College of Ag colleague – Office space for Vt. Ag agency personnel – 2 days per person volunteer time – Clean-up crew days – students, faculty, staff

UVM Testing Labs • Heavy metals testing • Mycotoxin testing & research set up • Ongoing assessment

Reconstruction Update – All rail lines reopened within 3 weeks of storm – Rail lines transported road-building materials – All roads, bridges reopened by December 31,

2011 – Mild early winter -- “Last mile”, route 107,

paved, opened December 29 – May 2012 - families, businesses still displaced

& rebuilding – Name “Irene” retired

Lessons Learned • Before a disaster:

– Be familiar with any state or institution emergency plans

– Assess skills, interests, knowledge within your organization

– Inventory resources before an emergency strikes

– Know national CES, eXtension, EDEN resources

– Partners & relationships matter

Lessons Learned • After a disaster:

– Communication – Be organized – Vet content as much as possible – Use national CES, eXtension, EDEN

resources