Source: MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIV submitted to NRP
MISSISSIPPI FLOOD RECOVERY PROJECT
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0225928
Grant No.
2011-41210-30542
Cumulative Award Amt.
$59,811.00
Proposal No.
2011-03690
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Jul 1, 2011
Project End Date
Jun 30, 2013
Grant Year
2011
Program Code
[MB]- ESNP Special Needs
Recipient Organization
MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIV
(N/A)
MISSISSIPPI STATE,MS 39762
Performing Department
University Administration
Non Technical Summary
The Mississippi River is generating the most significant flooding in the past 300 years. Seventeen west Mississippi counties have been declared to be in a state of emergency, by the federal governement. Following a disaster of this magnitude, individuals, families and communities experience significant stressors, including economic loss and psychological reactions such as grief, anger, and worry. The Mississippi State University Extension Service is in a unique position to help Mississippi citizens respond to this most recent disaster. The flooding of the Mississippi River, its tributaries and backwater,and oxbow lake has had a significant and devastating impact from the northwestern corner of the state to its southwest border with Louisiana. There are counties that will be declared an agricultural disasters once waters recede and will likely increase the total number of impacted counties. Families and communities are taking protective measures for structures and contents. The most severe impacts on families will be those areas located near the Mississippi River, its tributaries, and erosion control zones. Although the flood waters have begun to recede in the northern portion of the state, there are still large areas that possibly will be covered with water until late June or ealry July. Individuals, families and communities in affected areas are expected to experience many negative psycho-social effects. All of the affected communities in these counties will face significant challenges in rebuilding their economies and social institutions. The impacted counties have a population of about 500,000 people and put a risk millions of crop acres, indicate the potential acres of cropland and other farmland that will likely face damage from the flooding. This catastrophic flood event has resulted in a critical need for families and communities to become educated and empowered to prepare them for the anticipated changes they face in their lives. Outcomes: Individuals, families, businesses, farms, local organizations, and communities will learn about disaster response and recovery, how to cope with stress and long-term recovery issues (family, economic and structure recovery, etc.) Agricultural stakeholders, farmers and agencies will learn about agricultural damage assessments in flood-impacted areas and the recommendations on risk management,restoring operations, salvaging the production season, and sources of disaster assistance. Extension professionals will learn about the processes and organizations involved in disaster management at the local level, how to access disaster resources available through the LGU system and its partners, how to cope with stress and long-term recovery issues and deliver programming on anger and stress management and family resiliency, how to conduct moisture level testing, research based information for plant and recovery issues, and how to facilitate and assist community organizations assisting in long term recovery. Professionals will use these skills and resources in teaching, consultation, facilitation and work in local recovery.
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
100%
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
1026030310010%
4016030310010%
6026030310010%
6086050308010%
6086050310010%
7126020310010%
8016020310010%
8056020308010%
8056050308010%
8056050310010%
Goals / Objectives
Goals/Objectives/Expected Outputs The primary goals: 1. Disseminate credible, science-based information to citizens living in the Mississippi River flood-impacted areas that address the negative effects upon individuals, families, communities, agriculture, business and industry. 2. Prepare Extension professionals to deal with anticipated negative psychological-emotional effects of the Mississippi River flood of 2011 upon individuals, families, communities, agriculture, business and industry through professional development training. Specific project objectives include: Residents, local organizations, and communities will learn: 1.1 About disaster response and recovery through LGU educational materials and program delivery. 1.2 How to cope with stress and long-term recovery issues (family, economic and structure recovery, etc.) Agricultural stakeholders, farmers and agencies will: 1.3 Have access to agricultural damage assessments in flood-impacted areas. 1.4 Learn the latest information and recommendations on risk management, restoring operations, salvaging the production season, and sources of disaster assistance. Cooperative Extension professionals in Mississippi will learn: 2.1 About the processes and organizations involved in disaster management at the local level, engage the community in Triumph over Tragedy programming and assist in shelters in Creating Safe Spaces. 2.2 How to access disaster resources available through the LGU system and its partners. 2.3 How to cope with stress and long-term recovery issues and deliver programming on anger and stress management and family resiliency 2.4 How to conduct moisture level testing and research based information for plant and animal recovery issues. Activities and events: analyzing/assessing economic impact, assessments of moisture levels in structures, facilitating community meetings, teaching workshops, staffing resource recovery centers; provision of in-service education; dissemination of materials through variety of methods. Services:counseling regarding recovery issues. Products: social media posts, news releases, radio and TV spots, guidesheets, web postings; information, skills, and technology for individuals, communities, and programs.
Project Methods
Methods: Distribution of printed guidesheets and resources in impacted communities through local Extension specialists' efforts. They will be placed in local churches, businesses, government offices and resident support service locations. Appropriate publications will be translated to Spanish. These resources will be posted on MSU Extension Service's website, and submitted to EDEN and eXtension websites for possible posting. Web-based disaster recovery information outreach. The adapted disaster recovery guide and resources will be posted on the Internet, including the MU Extension websites, the Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) and the national eXtension website (disaster and family finance channels). Social marketing disaster recovery information outreach. Facebook sites (specific to disaster, flooding, families and communities) will be established and maintained with ongoing information to lead users to our web-based and print resources. News media disaster recovery information outreach. Radio, TV, YouTube, and newspaper releases, PSAs and articles will be developed to provide impacted citizens with information about disaster recovery and to lead affected residents to helpful disaster recovery information through contact with our local Extension offices as well as to our web-based and print resources. Agricultural economic information and assistance workshops, panels, etc. Training for Extension Professionals and Others via face to face and web-based technology. Among TN, MO, AR, MS and LA: Monthly conference calls with the five state team members; use the EDEN intranet and www.eXtension.org to share documents and other resources, submit quarterly progress reports via EDEN Flood Recovery project intranet, submit a poster session to the 2011 national EDEN meeting, and participate in national EDEN meeting and facilitate Flood Recovery Project meeting of members and support poster session submission. Evaluation: Track number of persons and type of assistance provided via disaster recovery center operations; followers and no. reached via social media; no. assisted with soil and moisture testing. For participants in workshops and training, we will assess the perceived change in knowledge and skills (learning), value of training, and intent to apply learning. We will conduct followup web-based survey to determine how knowledge and skills have been applied and degree of use. For individuals assisted, we will track using a one page sheet to document nature of service/information provided, usefulness and persons served. We will conduct voluntary followup survey regarding use of information. In addition to tracking deliverables, we will evaluate our short and medium term outcomes using clip-board and web-based surveys. These tools will allow us to gather feedback on what our clients have learned and what actions they have taken after participating in MSU Extension educational programming on disasters and disaster recovery. We will track the work with community organizations and long term recovery committees by monitoring and survey if needed.

Progress 07/01/11 to 06/30/13

Outputs
Target Audience: The target audiences for this project were: Individuals and families impacted by the 2011 Mississippi River Flood Community entities impacted by the 2011 Mississippi River Flood MSU Extensional professionals The end users of this project are: Individuals, families and agricultural producers impacted by the 2011 Mississippi River Flood Communities impacted by 2011 Mississippi River Flood Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? All Family and Consumer Sciences and 4-H youth development agents had the opportunity for professional training in all of the areas below: Professional development training for Extension agents in stress management and family resiliency Professional development training for Extension agents in Managing in Tough Times programming Professional development training for Extension agents in model disaster recovery outreach program for families and communities – Triumph Over Tragedy Professional development training for Extension agents in using non-destructive moisture readers Professional development training for Extension agents in model disaster outreach program –Creating Safe Spaces Extension Disaster Relief Guidebook (printed and web version) for all County Extension offices in Mississippi Professional development for Mississippi State University Extension Service Extension Agents on the National Incident Management System – ICS Professional development for Mississippi State University Extension Service Extension Agents on Creating an Evacuation –To-Go-Box. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? All of the affected communities in eight Mississippi counties faced significant challenges in rebuilding their economies and social institutions. The impacted counties has a population of about 500,000 people and put a risk millions of crop acres. Extension Agents, and Specialist provided training the clientele in all counties affected by the floods. Trainings a on moisture meters, managing in tought times, economic assessment information about affected agricultur-realted businesses and indusities, creating to-go- boxes, triumph over tragedy, creating safe spaces, stree management and family resiliency workshops and programs were provided to over 100,000 clientele in all eight counties. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? The Mississippi State University Extension Service provided the following: workshops, information sharing, trainings, and equipment to Extension professionals, individuals, and communities: Disaster recovery information for families (flooded home recovery and Managing in Tough Times) Disaster information disseminated through the web (LSU AgCenter,MSU-ES, EDEN and eXtension websites) Disaster information disseminated through social marketing (Facebook and other) sites. Disaster information disseminated through news media (newspapers stories-print and online, TV, radio) Disaster economic assessment information about affected agriculture-related business and industry Water and moisture testing for agricultural producers and residents impacted by flooding

Publications


    Progress 07/01/11 to 06/30/12

    Outputs
    OUTPUTS: The primary goals of this project are for Mississippi State University Extension Services to: 1. Assimilate and disseminate credible, science-based information to citizens living in 2011 Spring Flood impacted areas that address the negative effects upon individuals, families, communities, agriculture, business and industry. 2. Prepare Extension professionals to deal with anticipated negative human and economic effects of the 2011 Spring Flood upon individuals, families, communities, agriculture, business and industry through professional development training. PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

    Impacts
    The Mississippi State University Extension Service provided the following: workshops, information sharing, trainings, and equipment to Extension professionals, individuals, and communities: Disaster recovery information for families (flooded home recovery and Managing in Tough Times) Disaster information disseminated through the web (LSU AgCenter,MSU-ES, EDEN and eXtension websites) Disaster information disseminated through social marketing (Facebook and other) sites. Disaster information disseminated through news media (newspapers stories-print and online, TV, radio) Disaster economic assessment information about affected agriculture-related business and industry Water and moisture testing for agricultural producers and residents impacted by flooding Professional development training for Extension agents in stress management and family resiliency Professional development training for Extension agents in Managing in Tough Times programming Professional development training for Extension agents in model disaster recovery outreach program for families and communities - Triumph Over Tragedy Professional development training for Extension agents in using non-destructive moisture readers Professional development training for Extension agents in model disaster outreach program -Creating Safe Spaces Extension Disaster Relief Guidebook (printed and web version) for all County Extension offices in Mississippi Professional development for Mississippi State University Extension Service Extension Agents on the National Incident Management System - ICS Professional development for Mississippi State University Extension Service Extension Agents on Creating an Evacuation -To-Go-Box.

    Publications

    • No publications reported this period