Emergency management

Features

Preparing for disasters: Take it one step at a time

Missouri has recently seen flooding, severe weather and devastating tornadoes. Meanwhile, two earthquakes struck in the U.S. within hours of each other as a hurricane moved toward the East Coast.

Tips for preventing the spread of seasonal influenza and colds

The University of Missouri Environmental Health and Safety Fall 2011 newsletter is now available as a PDF file on the EHS website. Articles include seasonal flu and colds prevention, as well as more MU-specific information about online training for emergencies, bloodborne pathogen online training, safe management of oxidizing agents, and an introduction of new MU EHS Director Maureen Kotlas.

Missourians urged to report drought information online

Drought is a slow-moving natural hazard that affects millions of people worldwide each year. Understanding these impacts is crucial for drought planning, mitigation and response.

Picking up the pieces

MU Extension's emergency management resources on floods and tornadoes provide sound advice to guide you through the recovery and rebuilding process. 

Set priorities to avoid squandering property loss settlement

Many Missouri families are trying to recover from floods and tornadoes and to put the pieces of their lives back together.

A safe room of one's own

As communities pick up the pieces, builders and homeowners take a closer look at safe rooms. Watch the video.

Be prepared for disasters

Missouri weather brings year-round chances for severe weather. Every family should have a plan and supplies, and every family member should know what to do. Get started on your family's plan today.

Keep important papers accessible

In an emergency, you won't have time to gather up important papers, like bank records, savings bonds and birth certificates. MU Extension publication EC705, Our Valuable Papers, is a guide to organize important records.

About the Community Emergency Management Program

CEMP provides education and technical assistance to individual and families, local governments, businesses, schools and organizations in preparing and responding to natural and man-made disasters.

News

• Know which foods to pitch after a power outage
  Monday, May 7, 2012
  BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. —Severe spring weather can bring power outages. If the electricity is out for more than two hours, it is important to know how to make sure the foods in your refrigerator and freezer are safe.
• Preparing for disaster: Start today
  Monday, April 9, 2012
  PALYMRA, Mo. –If you have been meaning to put together disaster supplies and a household disaster plan but haven’t gotten around to it, there’s no reason to put off getting started any longer. You might be surprised by how much progress you can make in just a couple hours.
  
  Media available: 1 photo
• Northwest farmers prepare for planting a year after flood
  Friday, April 6, 2012
  HOLT COUNTY, Mo. – Temporary levees serve as signposts on the road to recovery from floods in northwestern Missouri that brought thousands of acres of farming to a screeching halt in 2011.
  
  Media available: 3 photos; 1 videos
• A year of extremes
  Thursday, December 29, 2011
  COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri weather in 2011 was anything but boring.
• Missourians urged to report drought information online
  Thursday, October 27, 2011
  COLUMBIA, Mo. – Has drought affected your farm, business or community? Missourians can help scientists and decision-makers assess, plan for and respond to droughts by using a simple online tool to report local conditions, said a University of Missouri Extension climatologist.
• MU FRTI names Fire Service Instructor of the Year
  Monday, October 17, 2011
  COLUMBIA, Mo. – The University of Missouri Extension Fire and Rescue Training Institute (MU FRTI) presented the 2010-11 Fire Service Instructor of the Year awards at the Institute’s annual Instructor Conference on Oct. 15
  
  Media available: 1 photo
• Firefighters learn the ropes through Swiftwater Rescue training
  Friday, October 14, 2011
  EUREKA, Mo. – Ryan Rascher came through the rapids on Thunder River just in time for a fellow firefighter to jump toward him and bring him to shore.
  
  Media available: 5 photos; 1 videos
• Storm recovery resources
  Friday, August 19, 2011
  Frank Wideman, MU Extension natural resources engineering specialist, can answer reporters’ questions on disaster readiness, response and recovery at the household, community and state level: 573-547-4504 or widemanf@missouri.edu.
• Remedies exist for trees wounded by storm
  Thursday, August 18, 2011
  GALENA, Mo. — Repair may be in order to keep storm-damaged trees healthy and less susceptible to disease and insects, says a University of Missouri Extension agronomy specialist.
• Risk of West Nile virus remains low despite mosquito boom in flood areas
  Tuesday, August 2, 2011
  COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mosquito populations along the Missouri River have skyrocketed due to recent flooding.
  
  Media available: 1 video
• Snakes on a flood plain
  Friday, July 22, 2011
  COLUMBIA, Mo. – Floods and severe storms can leave more than just people homeless. Displaced snakes, rodents and other nuisance wildlife often will seek shelter and food in areas close to people, said Bob Pierce, MU Extension fisheries and wildlife specialist.
• Quick tips for cleaning your flooded home available from MU Extension
  Wednesday, July 20, 2011
  COLUMBIA, Mo. – Families returning to flooded homes need to be extra careful before and during the cleanup process. University of Missouri Extension specialists warn that floodwater may contain sewage, biological contaminants and other hazards that can linger after the initial cleanup.
• Protect yourself from contractor fraud
  Wednesday, July 20, 2011
  COLUMBIA, Mo. – When storms, floods and other disasters leave damaged homes in their path, local contractors often get more business than they can handle. In many cases, out-of-town contractors will arrive in force to pick up the slack.
• Reducing flood damage to home and property
  Wednesday, June 29, 2011
  TRENTON, Mo.– University of Missouri Extension has prepared a checklist of measures people can take to reduce the impact of floodwater on their homes.
• Before the flood: Prepare household items for long-term storage
  Wednesday, June 29, 2011
  TRENTON, Mo.—As people brace for floodwaters and the damage they might cause, it’s important to know how to properly prepare household items for long-term storage, said a University of Missouri Extension housing and environmental design specialist.
• Let flood-damaged homes dry thoroughly before installing new coverings
  Tuesday, June 28, 2011
  PERRYVILLE, Mo. – Before replacing drywall and floor coverings in your flooded home, make sure building materials have had enough time to dry out, cautions a University of Missouri Extension community emergency management specialist.
• A safe room of one's own
  Thursday, June 16, 2011
  JOPLIN, Mo. – Harold Noirfalise used to curse the big steel box in the garage of his Joplin home. It was there when he and his wife, Brenda, bought the house a couple years ago. The box shared space with a pickup, a car and a workshop where he built radio-controlled model airplanes, making for a crowded garage.
  
  Media available: 4 photos; 1 videos
• Warm, wet weather can trigger mold growth
  Monday, June 6, 2011
  COLUMBIA, Mo. – Moisture and rising temperatures can turn parts of your home into ideal sites for mold growth, said a University of Missouri Extension housing and environmental design specialist.
  
  Media available: 1 photo
• Tornadoes will have an impact on livestock
  Tuesday, May 31, 2011
  MT. VERNON, Mo. — The real impact of the May 22 tornadoes in Joplin and rural Stone County on area livestock and producers may not be known for several months.
• Take care using chain saws during storm recovery work
  Friday, May 27, 2011
  MARSHFIELD, Mo. — Homeowners and disaster-recovery volunteers who use chain saws should use extreme caution to prevent injuries.
• Avoiding injury during post-disaster cleanup
  Friday, May 27, 2011
  SEDALIA, Mo.– Megan Webb, nutrition and health education specialist for University of Missouri Extension, advises homeowners and disaster-recovery volunteers to be safe during the cleanup process in this video news story.
  
  Media available: 1 video
• Tips for safe food preparation after a disaster
  Tuesday, May 24, 2011
  LAMAR, Mo. – There are several tips to remember about safe food preparation in disaster situations.
• Saving your food when the power goes off
  Tuesday, May 24, 2011
  LAMAR, Mo. – When the power goes off, there is a simple rule of thumb for saving refrigerated food: The colder the foods, the longer they will keep, said a University of Missouri Extension nutrition and health education specialist.
• Three easy steps for getting safe drinking water
  Tuesday, May 24, 2011
  MARHSFIELD, Mo. – In the aftermath of a disaster, the safety of your water supply might be in doubt. Bob Schultheis, a natural resource engineering specialist with University of Missouri Extension, says drinking water can be disinfected by ONE of the following methods:
• Follow state law when disposing of dead animals
  Tuesday, May 24, 2011
  MT. VERNON, Mo. –Rural landowners in southwest Missouri have begun cleanup after the severe tornadoes and thunderstorms on May 22. Many agricultural producers are left to also deal with the remains of livestock that were killed during the series of storms that passed through the area.
• MU Extension website features resources related to Joplin tornado
  Tuesday, May 24, 2011
  SPRINGFIELD, Mo.—University of Missouri Extension has set up special website (http://extension.missouri.edu/tornado) containing MU Extension resources that could be helpful to homeowners, landowners, business owners, emergency responders, volunteers, partnering organizations and others with a direct or indirect interest in the tornado that hit Joplin and the response that is underway. The content -- publications and news articles as well a list of contacts and timely information from MU Extension relevant to the recovery process -- will be updated and added to on a regular basis.
• Insulation and plastic spread by tornadoes may not mix well with livestock
  Tuesday, May 24, 2011
  MARSHFIELD, Mo. -- Agriculture and livestock specialists with University of Missouri Extension have been getting questions from southwest Missouri cattle producers wondering about the danger fiberglass insulation in fields can pose to cattle.
• Property loss from disasters may be tax deductible
  Monday, May 23, 2011
  COLUMBIA, Mo. – Disaster victims may recoup some of their uninsured losses because uncompensated property losses from natural disasters are tax deductible, said a University of Missouri Extension consumer and family economics specialist.
  
  Media available: 1 video
• May 22 tornado among the state’s deadliest
  Monday, May 23, 2011
  COLUMBIA, Mo. – With the death toll expected to top 100, the tornado that devastated Joplin on May 22 will rank among the most lethal in Missouri history.
• MAESTRO mobilizes to help small livestock farms rebuild after flood
  Monday, May 23, 2011
  COLUMBIA, Mo. – Farmers picking up the pieces after the recent flooding may qualify for expedited financial help through a program designed to promote energy efficiency on small livestock farms.
• Tornadoes prompt interest in shelters and safe rooms
  Monday, May 23, 2011
  MARSFIELD, Mo. –Recent devastating tornadoes might prompt many Missourians to take a closer look at their safety in future storms.
  
  Media available: 1 video
• Call insurance adjuster to determine hail damage
  Monday, May 23, 2011
  MARSHFIELD, Mo. – Owners of storm-damaged homes should be wary of out-of-town roofing companies offering their services because of recent tornadoes and hail.
• Disaster-readiness resources from MU Extension
  Monday, May 23, 2011
  University of Missouri Extension has resources to help you and your family prepare for and recover from disasters.
• Food safety after a flood
  Friday, April 29, 2011
  POPLAR BLUFF, Mo.—Food contamination is often a problem after a flood because floodwaters can carry silt, raw sewage, oil or chemical wastes, says a University of Missouri Extension specialist.
• Be prepared for spring floods
  Monday, April 25, 2011
  BLUE SPRINGS, Mo.–With the large snowfalls of the past winter, flooding is a potential threat in many parts of Missouri. And even if your house is not in a flood plain, you may drive through one on your way home, warns a University of Missouri Extension community development specialist.

Websites

The following are general-interest emergency management Websites from the University of Missouri. Browse the menu on the left for sites on more specific emergency management topics.

• Community Development Program
• Law Enforcement Training Institute
  Provides basic and advanced law enforcement training programs as well as animal cruelty investigation programs.
• MU Fire and Rescue Training Institute
• Veterinary Medical Extension and Continuing Education

You may be interested in these external websites:

• Agrosecurity Issues (EDEN)
• Disaster Assistance and Emergency Relief for Individuals and Businesses (IRS)
• Emergency Information in Spanish (North Carolina State University)
• eXtension Family Caregiving Resources
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) - Español

Publications

The following are general-interest emergency management publications. Browse the menu on the left for more specific emergency management publications.

• EMW1001, Disaster Recovery Resources for Missouri Families
• EMW1011, Family Disaster Plan
• EMW1012, Disaster Supplies Kit
• EMW1022, Financial Recovery and Risk Management
• EMW1025, Storm Shelters and Safe Rooms

You may be interested in these related publications:

• DM1902, Planning a Rural Fire Protection Service
• EC705, Our Valuable Papers
• EMW1015, Sizing and Safety Tips for Standby Power Generators
• EMW1016, Generator Safety Concerns Video
• EMW1021, Taking Shelter From the Storm: Safe Rooms Video
• EMW1024, Replacing Important Papers
• EMW1026, Safe Drinking Water in an Emergency
• MP205, Extension Publications Catalog