Horticulture Workshops, Conferences & News

Field Day
* September 10, 2010

Ag. Education Day
* September 9, 2010

Southwest Center FFA Workshop
* March 11, 2010

SW CTR Grazing Dairy

Ag Preparedness

Research

Newsletter

People

Contact us
Email: Southwestcenter@missouri.edu

Superintendent:
Dr. Richard Crawford - Bio
14548 Highway H
Mt. Vernon, MO 65712-9523
Phone: 417-466-2148
FAX: 417-466-2109
Email: crawfordr@missouri.edu

SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL PREPARED MONTH!

National Preparedness Month (NPM) is right around the corner. This event is held each September and is designed to encourage residents to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses and communities.

This year's theme centers around changing perceptions about emergency preparedness and to help residents understand what it truly means to be "Ready".

Many people think they can easily get ready for a disaster. Many feel confident that they can pull together elements that are in a disaster kit on the fly. However, this leads to a false sense of security. When disaster strikes, families need to have a disaster plan in place. They should also have a disaster kit packed. (For more information on what to pack in a disaster kit, see Foresight's Spring ‘09 Issue. You can find it at http://aes.missouri.edu/swcenter.)

IF SMOKE ALARM SOUNDS, WILL YOUR CHILDREN WAKE UP?

Smoke and fire alarms that wake adults may not pierce the very deep sleep of children ages 12 and younger. Studies show that a sleeping child will respond more quickly to the mother's recorded voice than to the high-pitched beeps typically found in smoke detectors.

New talking smoke detectors allow you to record a personalized message calling your child by name and calmly saying there is a fire, to wake up and go outside. You can add simple directions practiced in your fire drills.

A report in the October 2006 issue of PEDIATRICS shows 96 percent of children in one study woke to the mother's voice alarm, compared with only 58 percent to the tone alarm. The median time to wake up was 20 seconds to an alarm that used the mother's voice, compared with three minutes in the tone alarm group. A study by Victoria University, Melbourne, shows 100 percent of children ages 6 to 15 woke quickly to the sound of their mother's voice, but only six percent responded to traditional high-pitched smoke alarms.

Here are some recommendations to help keep your child safe in case of a fire in your home:

• Place a talking smoke detector inside each child's bedroom, directed toward the bed. Many models start at under $30. Select models with both recorded and conventional alarms. In some detectors a built-in light activates.
• Create and practice a fire escape plan with two exits from each room and a meeting place outside. Buying an alarm is not enough. To protect children, you need both an alarm that will wake them and an easy-to-follow, well-practiced escape route.
• Practice fire drills with the talking alarm when children are awake and when they are sleeping. If they don't practice hearing the alarm and waking from sleep, children won't respond as quickly in an emergency.

  Most talking detectors have a fire-drill feature to practice your escape plan. According to the U.S. Fire administration, children as young as 3 years old can follow a fire escape plan if they have practiced often.

• Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, including the basement. The U.S. Fire Administration recommends installing smoke alarms on every level and both inside and outside sleeping areas. There are two basic types of alarms. Ionization alarms sound more quickly when a flaming, fast-moving fire occurs. Photoelectric alarms are quicker at sensing smoldering, smoky fires.
• For complete protection, select alarms with both heat and smoke sensors. Integrated wireless systems or hard-wired alarms that are linked together provide extra security because they all sound if there is a fire. Another innovation is a laser beam to point the way to the nearest exit door.
• Take care of your smoke detectors. Vacuum the detector's cover plate. Accumulated dust interferes with the sensors. Replace detectors every 10 years. Test detectors monthly.

When seconds save lives, practicing escape drills is the key to fire safety.

For more information about residential fire detection, visit the Web at http://extension.missouri.edu/explore/agguides/agengin/g01907.htm.

PROTECT YOUF FARM AND RURAL ACREAGE!

Is your farm protected against everyday crime? What about a potential agroterrorism attack? You can take measures to protect your land and property from both types of crime. The things you can do to protect your farm are relatively easy to do and well worth the effort.

Extension specialists have developed a farm agroterrorism checklist that you can utilize to see how well your farm is protected. If you see that your farm is weak in an area, read the tips below each question to find out how you can remedy the situation.

1. Do you have insurance coverage that protects against theft, vandalism, pesticide spills and/or terrorist attacks on your farm?
   TIP: Ask your insurance agent to walk through your farm with you to properly assess your risks and review your coverage.
2. Is your 9-1-1 emergency address posted and easily visible on your mailbox or a post on the county road?
   TIP: Identify your property for emergency personnel with three-inch reflective numbers on the mailbox, post or other location.
3. Do you have a permanently installed, well-hidden mailbox or lock box that serves as an emergency information box for emergency personnel? Do they know where it is located?
   TIP: Items in the information box should include an up-to-date farm map, a list of emergency contact persons and their phone numbers, locations and amounts of hazardous chemicals and material safety data sheets, and a list of the major contents of each building.
   TIP: Have the location of the information box entered into the computer database at your 911 dispatch center, and personally inform your local fire chiefs or sheriff.
4. Do you have a farm map with the contents of each building listed?
   TIP: The map should include the contents at each location and identify vulnerable items such as chemicals, fuel, vehicles and livestock that someone might want to contaminate, steal or damage.
5. Are pesticides and farm chemicals stored in one location? Are they secure? Do you have an inventory?
   TIP: All chemicals should be stored in a locked and weatherproof building and as recommended by the manufacturer's label instructions.
6. Have you approached your local fire department about visiting your farm for a safety and security check?
   TIP: You should have working fire extinguishers in plain sight in numerous places. Employees should know where they are and how to use them.
   TIP: You should have working fire alarms in place. Replace their batteries every six month.
   TIP: An on-site inspection by local fire department personnel will identify areas of concern for you to address. Show them the locations of water mains, electricity control boxes, fuel and chemical supplies, your emergency information box and livestock holding areas.
7. Have you asked a professional law enforcement officer to help identify security issues?
   TIP: Remove woodpiles, debris piles, brush and other potential hiding places near outbuildings.
8. Do you have appropriate areas locked or gated? Are the locks, fences and gates in good condition? Do you regularly check for tampering? Do you have control of keys?
   TIP: Install and maintain gates and locks, and use them whenever possible.
   TIP: Never leave keys in vehicles or equipment.
   TIP: Tag and code keys. Keep them in a secure place.
   TIP: Keep the number of key copies to a minimum; sign them out when needed.
   TIP: Recover keys and change locks when employees are fired or leave.

*** NOTE: This is part one of a two-part article. More tips will be provided in the Fall 2009 Issue of Foresight. ***

Suggestions? Questions? Contact Editor Amanda Marney at (417) 461-1319; marneya@missouri.edu.

Site maintained by people at AgEBB
agebb@missouri.edu