Nebraska Extension and UNL’s Office of Emergency Preparedness and Planning are encouraging county Extension offices and Extension units to have plans in place for disasters and emergencies. The goal of an emergency action plan (EAP) is to outline procedures and information that could be used by staff in the event of an emergency. Information includes office location description, shelter-in-place/evacuation procedures, and staff contact information, among other important information.
To account for more plans being submitted and time to give them a quality review, the following submission windows are by Engagement Zones and units:
- February 1 – March 31: Zones 1, 4, 8, and 10
- May 1 – June 30: Zones 5, 7, 9, and 11 and Raising Nebraska
- September 1 – October 31: Zones 2, 3, and 6
Process: About 1-2 weeks prior to the zone/unit’s plan submission window, an email will be sent to those offices/units and the respective EZ Coordinators. This email will include the EAP template and a link to the online submission form for uploading the EAP. This submission link remains the same and can be used at any time throughout the year. Watch for announcements during the zone/units submission window for opportunities to attend a virtual EAP training and office hours to help answer any questions.
Remember, EAPs are living documents. While offices/units are asked to review and submit them on an annual basis for our organizational records, EAPs should be updated continually as the need arises (i.e. someone retires/resigns, someone new joins the office, change of office location, etc.).
Please reach out if you have any questions and thank you for making preparedness a priority.
Soni Cochran, scochran2@unl.edu