This document discusses Cornell Cooperative Extension's (CCE) roles and responsibilities during disasters in New York State. It provides examples of how CCE's disaster response system works during different alert levels, using a hypothetical hurricane scenario. The key aspects of CCE's response include: 1) Activating the CCE Disaster All-Hazards Response Team (DART) to coordinate response across the CCE system. 2) Communicating and coordinating with state emergency management agencies under the National Incident Management System. 3) Providing situation updates and response guidance to county CCE associations through communication channels like listservs and social media. 4) Supporting county-level emergency

1. When it Hits the Fan: Extension’s Roles,
Resources, and Responsibilities in Disaster
Keith G. Tidball, PhD
Cornell University NY EDEN
CCE ELC 2019

2. “Be Relevant…” (Julie Suarez)
Will it be REMEMBERED as RELEVANT & RELIABLE?
Is it EVIDENCE –BASED? (Empirical)?
Is it VISIBLE & VIABLE?
Is it VALUABLE?

3. 1987: Schoharie Creek bridge
collapse
A bridge on the New York
State Thruway over Schoharie
Creek collapsed into the
creek on Sunday, April 5,
1987 in Amsterdam. (AP
Photo)
On April 5, 1987, the bridge
on the New York State
Thruway over Schoharie
Creek in Fort Hunter
collapsed, killing 10 people.
The collapse was blamed on
flawed design that made the
bridge susceptible to erosion.
Instead of having piles in the
bedrock, the bridge only had
concrete footings dug six feet
into the riverbed, the Albany
Times-Union reported.

4. 2009: Binghamton shootings
On April 3, 2009, 41-year-old Jiverly Wong opened fire inside the American Civic Association in
Binghamton, fatally shooting 13 people and injuring four others before killing himself.

5. 2009: Colgan Air Flight 3407
On Feb. 12, 2009, Colgan Air Flight 3407 (Continental Connection Flight 3407) crashed into a home
in the tiny hamlet of Clarence Center, about 10 miles northeast of Buffalo Niagara International
Airport.
All 49 passengers and crew on-board were killed, as was one person on the ground.
The National Transportation Safety Board blamed the crash on the captain's "inappropriate
response to the activation of the stick shaker", which caused the plane to stall.

6. 2012 Superstorm Sandy
Hurricane/Superstorm Sandy affected 24 states, including the entire eastern seaboard from Florida to Maine and west across the
Appalachian Mountains to Michigan and Wisconsin, with particularly severe damage in New Jersey and New York. Its storm surge hit
New York City on October 29, flooding streets, tunnels and subway lines and cutting power in and around the city.
There were 64 deaths in New York State.

7. Its just a matter of time…

8. Disaster Frequency and Type

11. Disasters
in NY
State?

12. Disasters in NY State?
In this image, only
10 counties have
escaped a
weather related
disaster between
2007 & 2012.
2013 thru 2019
have added to the
number.

14. It starts with the national NIFA-funded Extension Disaster Education Network…
EDEN is the premier provider of disaster education resources delivered through the
Land Grant University system…. https://eden.lsu.edu/

15. Mandate
Preparedness is the shared responsibility of our entire
nation. The whole community contributes, beginning with
individuals and communities, the private and nonprofit
sectors, faith-based organizations, and all governments
(local, regional/metropolitan, state, tribal, territorial,
insular area, and Federal).
The National Preparedness Goal is:
A secure and resilient Nation with the capabilities required
across the whole community to prevent, protect against,
mitigate, respond to, and recover from the threats and
hazards that pose the greatest risk.

16. The core capabilities [needed to meet the
National Preparedness Goal] are not
exclusive to any single government or
organization, but rather require the
combined efforts of the whole community.
https://www.fema.gov/media-library-
data/1443799615171-
2aae90be55041740f97e8532fc680d40/Nati
onal_Preparedness_Goal_2nd_Edition.pdf

17. National Incident
Management System
(NIMS)
Mandated by HSPD-5, in 2005,
NIMS is the organization through
which disaster management is
coordinated. It was designed
after the World Trade Center
attacks in September, 2001. NIMS
is designed to prepare for,
prevent, and manage response to
emergency and disaster
situations, and to coordinate
emergency response disaster
responders on the local, state and
federal levels

18. Extension
and NIMS
• The 15 Emergency Support Functions are:
• ESF 1 – Transportation
ESF 2 – Communications
ESF 3 – Public Works and Engineering
ESF 4 – Firefighting
ESF 5 – Emergency Management
ESF 6 – Mass Care, Emergency Assistance,
Housing, and Human Services
ESF 7 – Logistics Management and Resource
Support
ESF 8 – Public Health and Medical Services
ESF 9 – Search and Rescue
ESF 10 – Oil and Hazardous Materials
Response
ESF 11 – Agriculture and Natural Resources
ESF 12 – Energy
ESF 13 – Public Safety and Security
ESF 14 – Long-Term Community Recovery
ESF 15 – External Affairs

19. Extension Disaster
Competency: What
You Need to Know
Keith G. Tidball, PhD
Cornell University
Assistant Director,
Cornell Cooperative Extension
Disaster Education, Military Families,
and Veterans
Extension Disaster Education
Network (EDEN)
State NY POC/State Delegate
Watch it here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIt
PUmZA3Q8

20. This is not
a new
mission …
1958 Extension Publication available here.

21. So What’s the Mission?
NY EDEN links
extension
educators,
emergency
managers, and
community officials
to enhance
resilience and
reduce the impact
of disasters in New
York communities.

22. What Are Our Roles?
1. State/regional incident command leadership within
CCE system, at multiple levels:
a. Support of higher levels of incident command
(State & Federal)
b. Transmit guidance from higher levels of incident
command thru CCE regional & county networks
2. Act as primary source for sector specific situational
information (agriculture & natural resources
primarily at this time)

23. OK, So How Does It Work?

24. National
EDEN

25. NY
Extension
Disaster
Education
Network
http://eden.cce.cornell.edu
http://eden.cce.cornell.edu/Pages/training.aspx

26. When Gotham NY State needs more
than a network…
Cornell Cooperative Extension’s DISASTER ALL-HAZARDS RESPONSE TEAM
CCE DART

27. CCE DART
At the first hint of crisis or emergency, we will:
1. Determine exact circumstances of the emergency/crisis.
2. Determine the status of CCE Administration and CCE County Association staff – whereabouts and
welfare.
3. Determine ability to function, e.g. telecommunication, vehicles, office premises, warehousing, access
and mobility etc.
4. Notify within CCE Admin those who need to be informed immediately of developments as they
emerge.
5. Activate CCE DART.
6. Ensure that a standard package of documentation is on stand-by (technical guidelines, checklists,
program guides, rules and procedures, etc.)
7. Begin assessment of situation, critical operations, and particular implications for Cornell, Cornell CCE
System, Cornell CCE Association (s), interagency, and NYS communities.

28. POINT IN CYCLE TASK DATE & PERSON ASSIGNED COMPLETED
Initial disaster
predicted/reported
1. Notify EXT DIR, request
activation of CCE DART
NY EDEN Coordinator
2. Coordinate CCE DART
meeting
NY EDEN Coordinator/ CCE
DART Incident Manager
3.Convene
meeting of
CCE DART
A. Assess
B. Plans
C. Messaging
D. Schedule
4. System wide announcement
- EXT DIR
EXT DIR
5. activation of CCE DART list
serve, email, and e-reporting
NY EDEN Coordinator/ CCE
DART Incident Manager
Disaster underway 6. Coordinate telecom w CCE
assoc & regional stakeholders
CCE DART
7. initiate interface with NY
EMO/ FEMA/NYS Ag& Mkts
NY EDEN Coordinator/ CCE
DART Incident Manager
8. conduct regular briefings CCE DART
9. reporting log – AG SENTINEL All hands
Disaster Ended 10. conduct
after-action
review
A. pros/cons
B. recovery plan
C. hand-off to
NY EDEN
CCE DART
11. deactivate CCE DART EXT DIR
12. final report NY EDEN Coordinator/ NY
EDEN Advisory Committee
Long Term Recovery NY EDEN Coordinator/ NY
EDEN Advisory Committee

29. CCE NY’S Standard Operating
Procedures – A Scenario
Let’s use a hurricane as an example.
One fine Autumn day, the morning news makes
mention of a strong tropical depression that
might hit the northeast.
“There is no clear
consensus of the
storm’s track, but it
is possible NY state
could take a hit.”

30. Level Yellow-- Guarded

31. Example of How it Works? Going to
Level Yellow
Given the possibility,
leadership (campus) does a few things -
1. Alert the entire CCE system that there might be
a severe weather incident and provide tailored
preparedness guidance (via disaster list serve
and via social media)
2. Warn members of the EDEN Advisory
Committee and the CCE Director that the
Disaster All-Hazards Response Team may be
activated.
3. Open communications with State partners and
National EDEN.

32. Example of How it Works?
1. Determine if your county will potentially be in or near harm’s
way.
2. Assign a staff person to become the county NY CCE EDEN Point
of Contact for the particular incident if needed.
3. Ensure that county website, social media (Facebook and
Twitter) and email lists are ready to serve as information
“repeaters” if needed.
4. Familiarize/re-familiarize with CCE NY EDEN website, CCE
DART AG SENTINEL website, CCE NY EDEN Facebook, and CCE NY
EDEN Twitter.

33. Example of How it Works?
So, the following days are filled with speculation on the
impending storm’s path, but most reliable news sources, the
National Weather Service, and NOAA are all indicating likelihood
of the storm having significant impacts upon NYS…

34. Example of How it Works? Going to
Level Orange
Now that the storm is likely ,
leadership (campus)
does a few things –
1. Seeks permission for activation CCE Disaster All-
Hazards Response Team from CCE Director
2. Activates CCE DART System-wide Standard
Operating Procedures (level orange)
3. Begins liaison with State Agencies in support of
their Incident Command Structure (mostly Ag &
Markets and DEC).

35. 1. Notify County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) that you are
“up” for supporting them for the incident. In some cases, County
OEM will request CCE to assist in Emergency Operations Center with
Ag and other CCE expertise areas.
2. Notify NY CCE EDEN State Leadership that you are “up”.
3. Start reposting, sharing, retweeting, etc. information coming from
NY CCE EDEN HQ.
4. Assign an “Ag Sentinel” (may be additional role for EDEN
Incident POC or another individual) in case we go to level Red.
Example of How it Works? Going to
Level Orange

36. Example of How it Works
Ok, its really happening. The hurricane is bringing damaging
winds, extreme flooding, and this is a DISASTER. NYS has
declared disasters in multiple counties, and federal declarations
are imminent…

37. Example of How it Works? Going to
Level Red
Now that the storm is happening,
leadership (campus) does a few things –
1. Activation of Level RED CCE DART SOP, including identification of
key faculty and technical experts to include
2. Dedicated CCE Administration support team assists with incident
reporting
3. Regular communications established with impacted County CCE
Associations
4. Periodic situation reports to Cornell administration & State
Agencies in support of their Incident Command Structure (mostly
Ag & Markets and DEC).
5. Reponses to specific informational requests and technical
assistance

38. Example of How it Works? Going to
Level Red
1. Notify CCE NY EDEN/DART of the status of your association
staff and infrastructure
2. Continue reposting, sharing, retweeting, etc. information
coming from NY CCE EDEN HQ.
3. Conduct “Ag Sentinel” assessments and reporting during
and immediately following disaster (safely- this can be done
via phone or email, especially if conditions are unsafe for first
hand observations)

39. http://bit.do/agdamage

40. https://cornellprod.sharepoint.com/sites/cce/edendashbo
ard/SitePages/Home.aspx

41. http://teams.cce.cornell.edu/edendashboard/SitePages/disaster.aspx?disid=4
Funding for NY Ag Sentinel came from NY State Department of Agriculture and Markets

42. Keep in Touch!
Listserv - CCE-DISASTER-L@list.cornell.edu
E-mails from CCE NY EDEN disaster@cornell.edu
Twitter account: CCE_Disaster
CCE NY EDEN on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/CCE.NY.EDEN/
CCE NY EDEN Website http://eden.cce.cornell.edu

43. Caveat
!!Climate change mitigation is a different runner
in this race!!

44. REMEMBERED as RELEVANT & RELIABLE?
EVIDENCE –BASED? (Empirical)?
VISIBLE & VIABLE?
VALUABLE?
Extension Disaster Education
Programming in YOUR county…
Let’s Go!

45. Questions?

46. Thank You!