AgriLife Extension preps for Texas severe weather with Operation Readiness

Severe weather season continues in Texas, and the official start of hurricane season is less than a month away. 

Storm season has arrived in Texas, and hurricanes will not be far behind.

To stay ahead of storm threats, over 25 Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Disaster Assessment and Recovery, DAR, agents took part in Operation Readiness in Bastrop, an annual training session packed with the latest disaster response and recovery updates. “Each disaster presents a different set of circumstances, and these annual training events allow us to learn and be ready for deployments anywhere across Texas,” said Monty Dozier, Ph.D., program director. 

The training gives agents hands-on experience with staging equipment, animal care facilities, and mobile command operations, strengthening their ability to respond quickly and safely as part of the Keeping Texas Prepared initiative, Dozier said. 

The event simulated an actual disaster with portable sheltering, a shower trailer, a mobile command unit and other equipment. 

This year, DAR agents have responded to wildfires in Gillespie County and provided team support to agricultural producers impacted by flooding as crops and farm infrastructure sustained loss damages.

Equipment, safety

Agents learned more about animal issues committee plans and forms needed at the county level. Some key topics were processing animal intake forms, logistics of establishing animal sheltering sites as well as kennel and spacing management.

Large equipment training was included as agents learned how to set up livestock corral systems used after hurricane and flood events. 

The training also covered how to efficiently pack gear for long deployments including assembling go-bags, which are a blend of both uniforms and personal items. In recent years, the disaster agents have been involved in both in-state and out-of-state deployments.

Award recognition

During the Bastrop training, two agents were presented the inaugural Andy Vestal Award for Excellence, recognizing individuals for outstanding response work with the DAR unit. Recipients were Kevin Hoegenauer, New Braunfels, and Matthew Rodriguez, Weslaco.

Vestal formed the agency’s initial disaster response program in 2005 and was instrumental in assembling statewide strike teams utilizing AgriLife Extension’s county agent network. In 2007, Gov. Rick Perry approved AgriLife Extension as a State Emergency Management Council member and part of the State Operations Center.