System-wide, we are all involved with disaster education and response. The Nebraska EDEN State Action Plan (NE-EDEN SAP) was written with faculty and staff in mind by acknowledging your current efforts while inspiring opportunities to strengthen our collective skillsets in disaster education and emergency management.
As you work on your 2024 Individual Action Plans (IAP), consider adding outcomes included in the NE-EDEN SAP. Here are just a few examples of efforts that you may be doing that already align with the NE-EDEN SAP:
• EAPs: Writing, reviewing, and practicing the local office/unit Emergency Action Plan (EAP) and/or Continuity of Operations Plans (CoOP).
• Increasing knowledge and gaining skills: Participating in professional development focused on Nebraska Extension’s Role in a Disaster, taking FEMA Independent Study courses, lifesaving courses and more.
• Taking action: Organizing or taking part in an emergency drill at your office or in your community (fire, tornado, active threat), creating disaster kits, “real world” disaster responses.
• Risk Management: Integrating risk management into program planning. (Examples: contacting National Weather Service prior to a program, doing a walk-through of a facility being used for a youth camp to identify and mitigate potential hazards, creating a communications plan with emergency contacts for an event).
• Relationships: Strengthening networks by collaborating with your local emergency manager and the organizations in your community and region active in disasters.
• Communications: Sharing information and resources on disaster preparedness and response through social media, print/radio and more.
• Education: Increasing opportunities for youth and adults to learn about disaster education and emergency management.
When you are ready to copy the NE-EDEN SAP as part of your 2024 IAP, please use the abbreviation NE-EDEN in the title. If you have any questions about including the NE-EDEN SAP in your 2024 IAP, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Soni Cochran, scochran2@unl.edu.