Corner Store ConversationsOn the heels of the historic formation of Tropical Storm Alpha and Hurricane Beta, this month's Sentinel is following up on October's Fire Preparedness Week by providing you practical information on wildfire and fire preparedness within animal and agricultural operations. The resources provided are quick reads which should get you thinking about the fire hazards your homes and farms face. (Perhaps this will distract some from wondering whether or not there will be a Hurricane Gamma :o)) And speaking of hurricanes… Recovery from Hurricane Wilma is ongoing in south Florida where many agricultural operations were hard-hit by the storm. A summary of the ESF-17 response to Wilma will be featured in December's issue of the Sentinel, so hold tight for now! [top] Be Firewise - Brush Up on Wildfire AwarenessHurricane season is almost at a close - but don't breathe a sigh of relief quite yet. There are still threats like fire that can strike at any time regardless of "season." Wildfires may strike at any time and for a myriad of reasons. Now is a good time to focus on your homestead and farm wildfire readiness. The Florida Division of Emergency Management's Wildfire Web page offers a great starting place to learn more about Florida wildfires. From definitions, assessment tools and agency links to fire effects and homeowners preparedness information, this Web site is comprehensive and informative. The UF-IFAS Disaster Handbook also contains two chapters specifically addressing residential and farm fires, in addition to wildfires. Chapter 13 which focuses on residential and farm fires is accessible at <http://disaster.ifas.ufl.edu/chap13fr.htm>. Chapter 14 which addresses wildfires is accessible at <http://disaster.ifas.ufl.edu/chap14fr.htm>. [top] Farm Fire Prevention and SafetyOur farms and ranches are home to many fire hazards that would normally not be found on a residential home site. Chemicals, fertilizers, grain and specialized storage areas for such items may complicate fires and/or encourage the start of a fire. Several fact sheets are available on the National Ag Safety Database (NASD) to properly identify and mitigate these hazards; the links are listed below. These are just a start for assessing potential risk areas on your farm or ranch. Be sure to take an outsider's perspective when conducting your hazard analysis in order to identify items you may commonly overlook.
[top] Making Your Horse Barn Fire SafeA barn fire is a disaster many horse and large animal owners would prefer to avoid. In a practical booklet for horse owners entitled Making Your Horse Barn Fire Safe, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) offers fire safety tips and considerations for horse barns. Although intended for the equine audience, several of the tips, especially with regards to responding a barn fire and constructing a fire-safe barn, are applicable to other agricultural and animal operations. Precautions for existing barns and resources for the products and information discussed are included as well. The booklet can be accessed at the following Web page: <http://www.hsus.org/web-files/PDF/Horse-Barn-Fire-Publication.pdf>. Additional information on farm building fire resistance can be found in Joseph Zulovich's publication, Improving Fire Resistance of Farm Buildings, previously mentioned in the Farm Fire Prevention and Safety article. 2006 National Hurricane Meeting in OrlandoThe 2006 National Hurricane
Meeting will be held April 10-14, 2006 at The Rosen Centre in
Orlando. The link below is to the brochure and registration form
for the meeting. Several special training sessions are being
conducted and enrollment in these training sessions is by reservation
only. Early registration for the meeting runs through February
10, 2006 at a cost of $300. The cost for any registrations after
February 10th is $350. April will be here soon enough, so start
planning your attendance now! Hurricane Katrina and LLIS.govIn response to the recent Hurricane Katrina disaster, LLIS.gov has created a Hurricane Katrina page for members to access relevant disaster recovery lessons learned, best practices, after-action reports, and other hurricane-related documents. LLIS.gov users can submit comments, experiences, and observations from Katrina that will assist in the development of new lessons learned. In addition, users can post questions, comments, and insights to a Katrina-specific message board. Information on all phases of the disaster, including response and recovery operations, and all emergency response functions, such as search and rescue, communications, and law enforcement operations, is encouraged. Whether it is the receiving of displaced residents or the sending of personnel and resources to the Gulf Coast, jurisdictions across the nation have been affected by Hurricane Katrina, and LLIS.gov would appreciate feedback on the disaster. LLIS.gov is also seeking similar information about Hurricane Rita. Membership to LLIS.gov is required
and open only to vetted emergency response providers and homeland
security officials. For more information and to register, visit
<http://www.llis.gov/>. Call for Papers: 16th World Conference on Disaster ManagementThe Canadian Centre for Emergency Preparedness is calling for presentations for the 16th World Conference on Disaster Management, which will be held in Toronto, Canada, June 18-21, 2006. The conference's theme will
be "The Changing Face of Disaster Management - A Global
Perspective." Presentations should fall into one or more
of the following categories: The conference will address issues common to all aspects of disaster/emergency management. The program includes speakers from many parts of the world and provides opportunities for training and networking among those in emergency planning and management, business continuity, emergency response, disaster management research, emergency communications, emergency health, risk management, security, and community planning. Presentation abstracts must be submitted by December 3, 2005. For more information, contact Adrian Gordon at (905) 331-2552; e-mail:<agordon@ccep.ca>. Information on submitting an abstract is available at <http://www.wcdm.org/>. -- As reported in Disaster Research, 439, Natural Hazards Center, University of Colorado, Boulder Got a Little Artist in the Family? -- 2006 Hazardous Weather Awareness Poster ContestCurrent fourth and fifth-graders are encouraged to enter into the 2006 Hazardous Weather Awareness Week poster contest. The top poster from each school district will be displayed in the Rotunda of the State Capitol during Hazardous Weather Awareness Week, February 12-18, 2006. Prizes include various savings bond denominations and NOAA weather radios; winners are notified by mail and all participants receive a certificate of recognition. Submissions must be postmarked on or before February 6, 2006 and received no later than February 8, 2006. For poster specifications, submission guidelines and additional information see the HWAW Poster Contest Web page at <http://www.tallytown.com/redcross/hwaw.html>. Emergency "Bridge Loans" Available for Small Businesses Severely Impacted by WilmaOn November 2, 2005, Governor Bush activated the Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program in response to the impacts created by Hurricane Wilma. The program's short-term, interest-free loans are "designed to provide a source of expedient cash flow to businesses physically damaged during a major catastrophe." For more information on the program, eligibility requirements and county contacts please see the news release at <http://www.florida-agriculture.com/news/11-02-05.htm>. Editor: Gregory S. Christy, DVM, State ESF-17 Coordinator, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Animal Industry Associate editor: Elizabeth A. Wang, UF/IFAS, University of Florida The SART SENTINEL is an e-mail newsletter prepared monthly by Dr. Gregory S. Christy and the staff of the Florida State Agricultural Response Team. Past issues of the Sentinel are archived on the Florida SART Web Site: <www.flsart.org>. For additional information on agriculture, animals, and disaster, visit: Florida SART Home Page: <www.flsart.org> For a complete list of all SART participating agencies, visit the Florida SART Web site: <www.flsart.org>.
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