We have all read the headlines.
“Pennsylvania dairy farm fire displaces 1,600 cows.”
“Florida dairy farm loses 250 cows during hurricane.”
“Minnesota dairy farmer looks back on the accident that changed everything.”
The stories of farm emergencies are splashed across the pages of newspapers and websites all over the country. Some stories have happier endings than others. Imagine for a moment that the headline is about your farm. What would it say? What is the story?
One way you can help write your farm’s story is to develop an emergency plan. Creating an emergency plan can help reduce vulnerability, increase resiliency and save time in the moment when a crisis hits. Taking this step in preparedness can also aid in a faster, more effective response. Gathering just a few key pieces of information can help you create a quick and simple plan.
Emergency plan components
- Farm map. Print out an aerial view of your farm that includes all the buildings, structures and access routes to your farmstead and lands. The map can be from an aerial photo taken with a drone or airplane, or it can be printed off Google Maps or a similar website. Access routes include roads, lanes and driveways. Clearly label buildings, structures, access routes, fencelines and gates. Mark the locations of all livestock, hazardous materials and shut-offs for electricity, water and other utilities. Although you may know where everything is, it helps to have it all written down in case someone else needs this information. Having everything mapped out allows you to see the opportunities and challenges when making your plan.
- Emergency contact list. Create a central list of contacts that may need to be contacted in an emergency. Include phone numbers for your veterinarian, county sheriff, county emergency management, extension office and insurance agent. List contact information for all the businesses that supply services to your farm. Include your milk processor, feed and fuel delivery, and anyone else who is on the farm regularly and should be alerted after something happens.
- Emergency supplies. Keep an up-to-date, full list of your farm inventory. Include all livestock on the farm, listing species and number of each species. Also include crop types, number of acres and whatever crops you have stored on the farm. Check to make sure you have the supplies you may need in an emergency, such as tools, fire extinguishers and generators.
- Relocation information. Determine what areas you can use in an emergency for livestock and equipment relocation. This is also a time to review buildings for any structural compromises or loose materials. Repairing weak areas or cleaning up unused materials could help keep animals and people safe during adverse weather conditions.
- Insurance information. Gather all relevant insurance information into one place. This may be a good time to contact your insurance agent and review your coverage for emergencies and disaster situations.
Contingency plans for various types of emergencies
There are various types of emergencies, and emergency plans are not one-size-fits-all. When making your plan, it is likely you will have to plan for multiple scenarios. Start with these three: shelter in place, evacuation and medical emergencies.
- Shelter in place. For certain weather events like tornadoes and hurricanes, the best or only option may be to shelter in place. If you are going to shelter in place, plan what to do if resources are cut off. Do you have backup power? Backup fuel? What will you do if an access route gets blocked? Determine what actions you will need to take and who will need to be contacted if this happens. Plan for how to get priority chores done while keeping people safe. Consider how responsibilities should be shared.
- Evacuation. Evacuating the farm may be a necessary action for some weather events or natural disasters such as wildfires. When creating an evacuation plan, look at the map you created. What is the best escape for animals? Which gates need to be opened? What happens if an identified route is blocked? Where are your hazardous materials stored? If you are dealing with a fire, anything potentially explosive should be stored as far away from animals as possible. If you can gain access to these materials before they are reached, where should you move them to? Plan for your people. Where is a safe place to take shelter? Where should they evacuate to? Make sure these are made clear to everyone working on the farm so that everyone stays safe.
- Medical emergencies. Farming is a dangerous job, and there are numerous medical emergencies that could occur on the farm. This includes injuries from farm incidents involving livestock or equipment, as well as emergencies like heart attacks and allergic reactions. For heart attacks, allergic reactions and any known medical conditions, make sure everyone on your farm is aware of existing health conditions and their warning signs. Having this knowledge could save precious time if something were to happen. For injuries, training is a great idea. Taking a first-aid class will help everyone feel prepared to offer immediate care before EMTs can arrive. Update your first-aid kit and keep it somewhere easily accessible and clearly labeled. Consider where emergency vehicles, including ambulances and helicopters, would need to go to reach someone.
Putting your plan into action before an emergency strikes
The most important step in creating any type of emergency plan is communication. Everyone on your farm – family members, employees – should be aware of the plan. If an emergency happens, everyone will have a role to play. Discussing those roles while sharing the plan can help save precious seconds in the moment of an emergency. See the worksheet accompanying this article to start working on your emergency plan.
Hold a meeting to review the plan and ask for additions and suggestions. Review emergency plans once a year and hold a refresher meeting for past and new employees. Building the culture of your farm to emphasize safety and emergency planning will help get buy-in from others on the farm. Plans should also be revised if any new buildings, pens or access routes are added to the property. Keep emergency plans (and in particular, emergency phone numbers) easily accessible in multiple locations.
