Dr. Jimmy TickelDr. Jimmy TickelEmergency Programs, NCDA & CSEmergency Programs, NCDA & CS

AERT ProgramAERT Program

Natural DisastersNatural Disasters Agriculture and Farm Communities Agriculture and Farm Communities

Drought, Hurricanes, Tornados…..Drought, Hurricanes, Tornados…..

AERT’sAERT’s

Ag Emergency Response TeamsAg Emergency Response TeamsAERTsAERTs

• Goal: provide help to fill the gaps Goal: provide help to fill the gaps farmers and farming communities farmers and farming communities encounter immediately after natural encounter immediately after natural disastersdisasters

• Use what we know worksUse what we know works• Add personnel & equipment to itAdd personnel & equipment to it• Bring the program to the local level….Bring the program to the local level….

What’s needed ??What’s needed ??

• 24 hr. Emergency Hotline24 hr. Emergency Hotline• Feedback from farming communitiesFeedback from farming communities• Assessment of damageAssessment of damage

• Five Task areasFive Task areas– Farm accessFarm access– HarvestabilityHarvestability– Fence repairFence repair– TarpingTarping– Field Debris removalField Debris removal

Plan of AttackPlan of Attack

• Develop/refine web based toolsDevelop/refine web based tools– InformationInformation– Help exchange pagesHelp exchange pages

• Matching the “Have’s” with the “Needs”Matching the “Have’s” with the “Needs”

• Form response team modelForm response team model– Volunteers from NCDA & CSVolunteers from NCDA & CS– Expand to local levelExpand to local level

• Helping handHelping hand

Web Pages: InformationWeb Pages: Information

Web Page: Tornado responseWeb Page: Tornado response

Web Pages: LinksWeb Pages: Links

Exchange SitesExchange Sites

Web Exchange SiteWeb Exchange Site

AgERT: Response AgERT: Response TeamsTeams

Teams Number of Personnel **

CHAIN SAW 15

TARPING 24

FIELD DEBRIS 36

FENCE REPAIR 31

HARVESTABILITY 23

** Most personnel volunteered for more than one team

Mission Flow: RequestMission Flow: Request

Mission Flow: ActivationMission Flow: Activation

• AgEOCAgEOC– Coordination of available resources Coordination of available resources

with prioritized requestswith prioritized requests

Mission Flow: DeploymentMission Flow: Deployment

Teams will work at discretion of requesting county

NCDA & CS will have input through Team leader and County EOC rep.

AERT Trailers AERT Trailers

EquipmentEquipment

• Two trailersTwo trailers– 6’ x 12’ 6’ x 12’

single single 3500 lb 3500 lb axleaxle

• Staged:Staged:– KinstonKinston– MorgantonMorganton

State HS grantState HS grant

• Seed the AERT concept to the Seed the AERT concept to the local levellocal level

• Expand the Web based toolsExpand the Web based tools

• Add another equipment trailerAdd another equipment trailer

State HS grantState HS grant• Goal: Stage 1Goal: Stage 1

– Take AERT concept toTake AERT concept to

State HS grantState HS grant• Goal: Stage 2Goal: Stage 2

XX 33

PartnershipsPartnerships

• Farm community ownershipFarm community ownership

• PartnershipsPartnerships– State and Local Govt.State and Local Govt.– Groups and AssociationsGroups and Associations

• Farm BureauFarm Bureau• GrangeGrange• Rural CenterRural Center• Faith Based GroupsFaith Based Groups

State HS grantState HS grant

• What counties do you What counties do you recommend??recommend??