Hurricane Gabrielle is making headlines — we all need to take a moment to ensure our homes, families, and plans are ready for this or any other extreme weather event. Here’s a checklist from our UConn Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) to help you prepare: Build or refresh your emergency supply kit: water (1 gal/person/day […]
Disaster Preparedness
Preparing Farm Operations for Extreme Weather: General Strategies for Producers
Extreme weather events and seasonal changes, including flooding, strong winds, and first frost, can pose risks for farm operations. Preparing for extreme weather can help mitigate impacts on farm workers, infrastructure, crops, and animals. This resource is the first part of a series of fact sheets and checklists that can be used by producers to inform short-term and immediate responses for farm operations in preparation for impending extreme weather events. This factsheet focuses on general preparation strategies.
Managing Flood Risks on Farms
This article provides flood-related information to Connecticut growers, particularly relevant to vegetable and fruit growers in flood-prone regions. It offers strategies to prepare for, respond to, and recover from flooding events, covering what actions to take, when to implement them, how to execute them, and why they are essential.
Residential Gardens and Flooding
Seasonal flooding in Connecticut impacts many, including residential gardeners. Included in this factsheet are answers to some questions specifically pertaining to home gardeners.
Extreme Weather Preparedness for Livestock Operations
Extreme weather poses a significant risk to animal operations. Keeping livestock and farm families safe requires preparation before an extreme weather event. Work closely with local service providers to develop a comprehensive plan. Stay alert to changes in weather and take action early to prepare for emergencies. Preparing in advance can help to mitigate the negative effects of natural disasters. This factsheet is designed for livestock owners or managers seeking to prepare operations for severe weather events.
Low-Cost Emergency Supply Kit: Assemble Your Own Kit for Less
Emergency and weather-related events can lead to everything from power outages to evacuation, and preparing ahead of time can help reduce stress. Gathering supplies beforehand also ensures collecting the potentially wide range of needs of various household members. Although pre-assembled emergency supply kits are commercially available to purchase, a supply kit tailored to specific needs can be assembled inexpensively.
Quick Guide to Flood Food Safety for Fruit and Vegetable Farmers
Flooding on fruit and vegetable farms introduces contaminants and new food safety challenges. This quick guide covers the types of flooding, sources of contamination, guidelines, preventative measures, and recommendations for farmers.
Winter Storm Preparedness
During the winter, see what conditions are forecast in your area for the upcoming week. If a winter storm is predicted, you want to be SAFE and WARM. Take actions to prepare in advance.
Reducing Storm Damage to Your Barn
Buildings need to provide a safe environment for workers and animals. Historically, agricultural buildings were considered of low importance, so structural load reductions of roughly 20% may have been applied in the design. If there were no engineered building prints or structural inspections, the owner assumed responsibility for building design.
How to Prepare for Equine Disasters
We have all watched the evening news and seen horses stranded in floods or have heard about the latest barn fire in our communities. First, some shocking statistics. Every year, floods in the United States cause $2 billion in damage and animals risk death from hypothermia or drowning. Annually more than 300,000 people are driven from their homes by floods.
Fire Safety – Prevent, Prepare and Take Action!
Fire safety may not be a thought on every horse owner’s mind, but it should be in order to prevent tragedy from occurring. It seems like every horse owner knows stories of horrific barn fires and you certainly don’t want to be the next one!
Food Safety During a Power Outage
First, it is important to keep the doors closed on your refrigerators/freezers as much as possible, keeping the cold air inside. A refrigerator will keep foods cold for about four hours if UNOPENED. A full freezer can stay at freezing temperatures for about 2 days.
Financial Preparation for Severe Storms and Other Emergencies
There are several actions you can take to get your family and home ready for storms and other emergencies. What can you do to prepare financially?
Prepare Your Greenhouses for Weather Events
As the climate changes, nature seems to be getting more violent in recent years with increased numbers of hurricanes and record-breaking storms. The International Building Code has revised upward its wind and snow loading requirements for some areas of the U.S.
How can we Reduce Flood Risk in our Communities?
Flooding is a natural and cyclical phenomenon – whereby during storms water overflows onto the land from adjacent waterbodies – that humans have adapted to for millennia. This fact sheet provides a brief history and additional information for municipalities, residents, farmers, and agencies on preventing, preparing for, and recovering from flooding incidents.
Preparing Your Greenhouse for a Hurricane
Site exposure, height, shape and roof slope affect the wind load that a greenhouse can take without sustaining damage. Although most greenhouses are designed for a minimum 85 mph wind load, gusts can damage large sidewalls at even lower speed.
Power Outages: Be Prepared for when Power Goes out
Power outages can occur at any time. Some are short-term and may last for a few hours. However, it’s important to be prepared for those that last several days to a week or more. This
publication outlines what residents need to consider and how to prepare.
Flooding Preparedness for Horse Owners
Flooding is a year-round threat for horse owners and one of the most common ones that we face. This publication provides information on the two types of floods, factors to consider, and items needed in an equine disaster kit.