• TEXAS Hurricane Resources
• LOUISIANA  Hurricane Resources
• MISSISSIPPI  Hurricane Resources

September 23, 2005 – Hurricane Katrina made landfall on the morning of August 29. Hurricane Rita made its impact on Texas and Louisiana on September 24. In the midst of total property loss, no power, and remaining flood waters, response and recovery efforts are dealing with a tremendous load this hurricane season.

The Cooperative Extension Service is proving to be a valuable resource during this time of need. Thanks to a multitude of Extension specialists from around the country, the EDEN hurricane pages are continually being enhanced with shared resources for recovery efforts.

As an Extension specialist/agent/educator in the affected states, do you have questions you need answered during recovery? EDEN, through the extensive effort of eXtension, has been able to establish an FAQ system specific to hurricanes. Please feel free to use this to find the answers you need.

Other Information:

At a joint AEA/ASRED meeting held in Charleston, SC, Extension Directors and Administrators agreed to assist Extension faculty and staff affected by Hurricane Katrina. A letter from them, drafted on August 31, 2005, provides more detail.

The generosity and kindness of people around the country does a lot to help communities heal from the tragic consequences of disasters. You can assist the victims of hurricanes without hindering the response of the agencies involved by following the guidelines for donations and volunteering.  These guideline, which are published on the Florida Division of Emergency Management's Disaster Relief Web site, were developed jointly by FEMA and the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD).

It is very important to coordinate donations and volunteer efforts with experienced disaster relief organizations and/or the state and local emergency management offices so the people in need of help receive it in the most timely and effective manner. In essence, monetary contributions to established relief agencies are always the most useful.  Money helps by allowing agencies and organizations to provide needed assistance without having to manage donated goods. 

Hurricane Katrina Donation Opportunities

• Helping Victims of Hurricane Katrina: Your Guide to Giving Wisely - Federal Trade Commission
• NASULGC - Katrina Extension Disaster Fund - To provide assistance to Extension faculty and staff who have suffered personal loss from Katrina. All contributions are tax deductible. Make checks payable to "NASULGC - Katrina Extension Disaster Fund." Send to: National Assoc. of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges, Dept. 0545, Washington, DC 20073-0545.
• The Hurricane Katrina Displaced Residents Fund
• 4-H Cooperative Relief
• Support for Animal Care
• The American Red Cross

The most significant source of financial assistance following a Presidentially declared disaster is the federal government. FEMA, now part of the Department of Homeland Security, is charged with coordinating the federal response to requests from a state for disaster recovery assistance.  The federal government helps state and local governments by assisting with response and recovery operations and providing funds to support these activities.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides food and logistical assistance and assists state departments of agriculture in assessing agricultural and rural infrastructure damage. For example, according to an August 16th Press Release from Secretary Ann Veneman's office, USDA assistance in the days immediately following Hurricane Charley included 120 tons 35 different food commodities provided through USDA's Food and Nutrition Service for distribution in the affected area, enough to serve 250,000 meals to hurricane victims. Over $8 million dollars in replacement food stamp benefits had been issued to current recipients. In addition, USDA's Farm Service Agency had awarded contracts for ready-to-feed infant formula in bottles to be dispatched by air for timely arrival in Florida. A USDA Forest Service incident command team was helping organize and manage a FEMA mobilization center and base camp. More on USDA Disaster Assistance is included on these two pages: Financial Assistance for Recovery and Resources for Farms and Rural Areas.

Some federal financial assistance flows down directly to individuals, to covers items not covered by property, business or other insurance.  It is available for housing, property restoration and other needs for residents of the counties that were declared.  Find out if your county was declared by visiting the FEMA Disaster Declarations page and looking for declarations in your state. Some forms of federal assistance are available in counties that border the declared counties. 

More about federal recovery assistance

Financial assistance may come to individuals from faith-based and charitable organizations. Such assistance does not require a Presidential declaration of disaster, and, depending on the policies of the organizations, may be available in counties that were not declared. Contact emergency management officials in your county or state to find out what assistance is being offered.  EDEN provides links to state emergency management Web sites on each state's page.  EDEN state pages.

When powerful hurricanes strike land, they can leave thousands homeless, hundreds of thousands without power, and damage - physical, economic, and emotional - ranging from minor problems to complete devastation.  Recovery is usually a long process.  

Those who lost loved ones or suffered extensive damage will be focusing on coping with these loses and rebuilding their lives more than physical restoration. It appears that help is being provided, and that the agencies providing recovery assistance are aware of the need for counseling in addition to the basics for survival.

For those who experience minor to moderate damage, the first step is to minimize further damage by doing such things as patching roofs and repairing doors and windows so additional rain does not enter. Where things got wet - either from rain blowing in or from rising water - it's best to clean up and dry out as quickly as possible in order to prevent complications from mold growth. These early steps should be taken while documenting the damage so future claims for insurance or disaster assistance can be validated.

When you've done what you can to minimize further damage, be patient - with yourself, with others, with life in general. This is truly a time when haste makes waste. People in a hurry are most likely to fall victim to charlatan contractors. Even though you may be anxious to get things back to normal, take plenty of time contracting for major repairs. If you must decide on whether to restart a small business that has been hurt by the disaster, don't rush into it. After a major disaster, you may find you'll be able to borrow more money than you've ever had to manage, and it will be financially easy to do things that you might not have done if you'd thought about it a little longer.

Your Cooperative Extension Service has information that may help with small business or family financial management decisions, with coping with the stress, and with restoring your home, furnishings and landscape.  Check in your county, or in your state, for resources that are developed for your locality.  If you find resources from outside your state, check them with local County Agents, State Extension Specialists, or local government officials to be sure they are applicable to your situation.

Your best source of information on tropical storm activity is the National Weather Service National Hurricane Center's Tropical Prediction Center.  This site deals with Active Tropical Cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and the Eastern Pacific out to 140°W.  Predicted paths for 3- and 5-day forecasts are shown in graphic format under the "Maps and Charts" heading for each storm system.

Once a hurricane passes, you're not necessarily out of the woods.  As the hurricane moves inland it may continue to produce torrential rains on the headwaters of streams and rivers that flow into the high-impact area.  Watch for floodwaters that may rise days after the hurricane passes.  Two sources of potential flood information are

• National Flood Outlook (from the National Weather Service)
• Water Watch (real-time streamflow from the US Geological Survey)