Sheridan Raises $8,200+ for Wildfire Relief

A group of area farmers raised $6,700 on Friday, April 15th to benefit farmers in Kansas who lost everything to massive wildfires that hit the area. Other people donated another $1,500 to the cause, bring the total amount raised to $8,200. Fencing equipment was purchased at the Sheridan MFA, meaning that all the money raised stayed in Worth County. Convoys from as far away as Michigan have come to Kansas to aid relief efforts.

USDA Commits $1.2 Million to Stabilize Nodaway River at Highway C

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is providing $1.2 million in Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP) funds to aid in bank stabilization efforts necessary after a damaging storm went through Nodaway County in 2015.  Serving as project sponsor, the Missouri Department of Transportation will pay an additional 25 percent of the funding necessary to make repairs along a 2,000-foot stretch of Nodaway River at Highway C.

 “A terrible storm tore through Nodaway County in July of 2015,” State Conservationist J.R. Flores said.  “Flooding endangered an access road used to transport farm products to market and put several hundred people at risk. The funding we’re providing will help make the necessary repairs both up and downstream on the Nodaway River.”

Flores added that EWP funds are vital to communities, allowing people to rebuild after damaging natural events while also making improvements to reduce future damage from natural disasters.

EWP provides technical and financial assistance to reduce hazards to life and property from floods, ice storms, earthquakes, tornadoes or other watershed impairments caused by a natural event.  Work must be sponsored by a state agency, a city, county or local government.

Nationally, NRCS will invest $93 million in EWP assistance to help state and local governments carry out much needed recovery projects to address damage caused by floods, hurricanes, wildfires and other natural disasters.

For more on this program, visit the NRCS Missouri website at www.mo.nrcs.usda.gov or contact your local NRCS office.

House Budget chair blisters the governor's budget director over disaster funds

The House Budget Committee grilled State Budget Director Linda Luebbering about the $150 million being withheld by the governor for disaster relief. The governor has set aside the money in anticipation of payments to Joplin and other areas affected by natural disasters without knowing exactly how much money is needed.

Committee chairman Ryan Silvey, R-Kansas City, charged Gov. Jay Nixon's action was unconstitutional because the state's constitution does not give him power to withhold funds from the budget to use the money for other purposes.

Article 4, Section 27 of the Missouri Constitution empowers the governor to withhold funds if revenue collections are running below the estimate upon which the budget was based. Silvey charges that provision does not empower the governor to cut agency allotments to reserve funds for other purposes the governor wants to finance.

Luebbering said money is needed to cover the expected costs for disaster relief in Joplin and the flooding in southeast Missouri. State obligations could include debris removal or rebuilding schools but as of now there is no breakdown of the specific costs, she said.

"We think setting aside $150 million for all these efforts is a perfectly reasonable amount of money," Luebbering said.

Silvey and other members of the committee questioned why the governor was withholding money from the 2012 fiscal year instead of using the money available in the state's Rainy Day Fund. Created in 2000 as the Budget Reserve Fund, the Rainy Day Fund contains roughly $500 million, half of which can be used for disaster relief payments.

"The Rainy Day Fund is an option," Luebbering said. "I don't know if we will use the Rainy Day Fund."

The constitution requires a two-thirds vote by the General Assembly to use the Rainy Day Fund for emergency relief. In July, Nixon said he would include disaster relief funding as part of the legislature's special session that begins Sept. 6, but in the official call issued Aug. 22, Nixon left out the issue. A special session can take up only the specific issues included in the governor's call.

Silvey questioned why the governor decided to exclude the legislature from discussing the disaster funding in the special session.

Directly facing Nixon's top budget official, Silvey repeatedly voiced frustration about the administration's approach, saying, "The governor does not want to deal with the legislature."

Luebbering said the governor made the decision to restrict expenditures to allow for more flexibility later in the year. She said the governor's office was looking at the broader constitutionality of the issue and previous court cases that established precedence for the decision to withhold funds. She could not name the cases she was referring to.

"The executive branch has the authority to balance the budget," Luebbering said.

Silvey said he did not feel a solution was reached at the meeting but was glad the committee served its purpose in questioning the decision.

"It's clear that the governor does not like dealing with the legislature," said Silvey. "It's clear that he'd rather have flexibility than go along with the constitution."

Rep. Chris Kelly, D-Columbia, told the committee the issues with the governor's budget is due to the legislature's own action in crafting a budget that left the door open for the governor to use funds for disaster relief without clear legislative authorization. He called on the Budget Committee to close the administrative flexibility in executive spending.

"It is easy to drive a truck through that little flexibility hole without seeing the damage," Kelly said.

Silvey said these issues will likely affect bills in the next legislative session.

"Our problem isn't where's the money's going but the process that it's getting there," Silvey said. "We want to see the money going where we appropriated it."

Earlier this month, State Auditor Tom Schweich sent the governor a letter questioning the constitutionality of the governor's budget withholding actions. Schweich charged that Luebbering's budget official failed to provide any information substantiating that revenue collections were falling below the original estimates upon which the budget was based.

McCaskill Statement on Cuts to Missouri Disaster Relief Funds

U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill released the following statement following a decision by the Federal Emergency Management Administration to redirect funding from Joplin and other Missouri areas that have received federal disaster declarations, to communities impacted by Hurricane Irene.



"Days ago I walked the streets of Joplin. I saw construction projects where rubble had been, I saw parks where trees had toppled, and I saw a community trying to heal and rebuild -- I didn't see any camera trucks. I warned FEMA and assured victims in Joplin that they would not be forgotten after the camera trucks lowered their antennas and rolled out of town, I will fight to make sure that promise is kept. FEMA should be prepared for all types of disasters and have the resources to respond rapidly and stay until the work is done, and until the community is made whole again."

Missouri's auditor sues the governor.

The lawsuit by Republican Tom Schweich charges the Democratic governor has violated the state constitution by withholding appropriations to state agencies, including education, to provide funds for natural disaster relief.

At issue is a constitutional provision giving the governor power to withhold appropriations from state agencies if revenues fall below the original estimates upon which the budget was based.

Jay Nixon has based his withholding on the basis of needing the money in order to provide additional money for natural disaster relief involving damages from the Joplin tornado and flooding along the Missouri and Mississippi rivers.

On August 19, Schweich had sent the governor a letter questioning Nixon's constitutional authority to withhold funds. In the letter, Schweich charged the governor's budget director failed to provide any data demonstrating there was an actual shortage in revenue collections.

Article IV, Section 27 provides that "The governor may...reduce expenditures of the state or any of its agencies below their appropriations whenever the the actual revenues are less than the revenue estimates upon which the appropriations were based."

Earlier this summer, Nixon had announced he would include the disaster relief funding in the legislature's special session that begins Sept. 6.

But in his official call, issued after Schweich's letter, Nixon dropped the natural disaster issue from his formal call. In a written statement, Nixon was quoted as saying they did not yet have a full estimate of the costs.

Missouri Guardsmen cross the state lend a hand in the northwest corner

While at their annual training in Festus, a dozen Citizen-Soldiers with the 220th Engineer Co. (Horizontal) were asked to haul their heavy equipment nearly 400 miles across the state to help with the flood fight in northwest Missouri.

The Missouri Army National Guard has been working in several counties along the Missouri River fighting to keep back the rising waters for weeks. Recently the need arose to move dirt and sand. These engineers answered that call.

“We’re one of the first ones called anytime there’s a flood duty around,” said Lt. Joe Estes, of Fenton. “We’ve got all of the equipment for it.

While in Mound City, the platoon worked alongside other area Guardsmen to reinforce a berm at Davis Creek. Battery D, 1-129th Field Artillery, of Independence, and the 1128th Forward Support Co., based in Marshall, worked in the heat with other community members to protect the town from the increasing water.

“Even though this is a small town, people are people,” said Estes.

Missions such as this are not in unchartered waters for Estes and the rest of his unit. Earlier this spring, these engineers played a major role with the daunting flood fight in southeast Missouri.

“This isn’t our first rodeo,” said Estes. “We’ve worked three [state emergencies] already and it’s just now summertime.”

The northwest Missouri flooding marks the fifth state emergency of the year. It is the second flood mission the Missouri National Guard has taken on in 2011 and the seventh flood response since 2007.

“Anytime we can get out there, there’s a personal satisfaction that comes with helping people,” said Staff Sgt. Randy Hargis, of Pacific. “You can say you took part in saving a town from a flood.”

Though these troops were called away from a two-week training with the rest of their company, both Estes and Hargis agree that the real-world, hands-on experience they are getting over six hours away from home is invaluable.

While helping fellow Missourians, these engineers can still hone their skills operating heavy machinery such as wheel loaders, dump trucks and skid loaders.

“They’re getting stick time and they were all stoked about coming here to help,” said Hargis.

“It’s a double bonus helping people out and getting training on your piece of equipment,” said Estes.

For more information about the Missouri National Guard, please visit www.moguard.com and our social media sites:

www.facebook.com/Missouri.National.Guard; www.twitter.com/Missouri_NG; www.youtube.com/MoNationalGuard; www.myspace.com/missouri_ng; www.flickr.com/photos/missouriguard; www.blog.moguard.com

Businesses impacted by devastating storms may qualify for federal assistance

Following a string of devastating spring storms and rising flood waters threatening several parts of the state, U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill is encouraging local small businesses to contact the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for assistance in preparing for and recovering from natural disasters. The SBA offers several types of financial assistance for businesses and nonprofit organizations that have suffered physical damage or economic injury. Businesses that have not yet been affected can contact SBA to learn how to best prepare in the event of flooding or other natural disasters.

“Small businesses are the engine of our economy and ensuring they have the resources they need to begin the rebuilding process after disaster strikes is a critical step in helping our communities get back on their feet,” McCaskill said. “The SBA has begun working with businesses hit hardest this past spring and they’re prepared to continue to help across the state with other Missouri businesses that have experienced the devastating effects of natural disasters.”

The SBA has provided a detailed fact sheet on its website to help business owners find the type of assistance that best suits their needs. Once an area has formally been declared a disaster area, businesses of any size and private, non-profit organizations may apply to the SBA for low-interest loans of up to $2 million to repair or replace damages resulting from a disaster. So far this year, the SBA has provided over $20.1 million in disaster loans for areas of Missouri hit by severe storms, including $15.4 million in disaster loans for property and business loses as a result of the devastating tornado that hit Joplin last month.

Even if a small business does not experience property damage in a disaster, a small business owner or nonprofit organization may apply for a working capital loan from the SBA if it experiences economic injury from a disaster.

On Sunday, McCaskill will tour flood damaged areas and meet with local officials and business owners who are planning for how to recover.

Disaster loan information and application forms are also available from SBA’s Customer Service Center by calling SBA toll-free at (800) 659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s Website. Hearing impaired individuals may call (800) 877-8339.

A Moment with Mike -- Spirit of Cooperation

Our state has been hit hard in recent weeks with flooding in Southeast Missouri, devastating tornadoes in Joplin and Sedalia, earthquakes and, of course, the flooding and threat of continued flooding right here in Northwest Missouri. It has been a trying time for the many families who have been displaced from their homes and for those who have lost loved ones to the ferocious weather. But through it all, the people of this great state have shown their resilience in the wake of tragedy and their compassion as so many have come together to provide support to those in need. In fact, we have seen so many Missourians offer their support to the survivors of the Joplin tornado that the recovery effort has been overwhelmed by volunteers and donations. It is a great reminder of the kind of people we have here in the Show-Me-State, thoughtful and compassionate folks who care about their neighbors and are willing to lend a hand when it’s needed.
That spirit of cooperation and willingness to make sacrifices of time, money, equipment and all types of resources can be illustrated no better than the efforts that are underway right here in Northwest Missouri to contain the Missouri river and minimize the damage from floodwaters that are inevitable. Community leaders have stepped up and the coordinated activities, planning, sandbagging and the removal of personal property from the endangered areas has been underway for weeks. I am proud of these resilient citizens and the positive attitude they exhibit in these times of extreme hardship but saddened by the fact that we seem to be powerless against the factors that put us in harms way far too often.
Along with the economic loss of thousands of acres of crops, many could suffer substantial losses of personal property, homes and businesses. Big Lake State Park could very well be under water for the second year in a row and small towns are threatened. I admire those who go back every year and clean up, rebuild and re-establish their homes and business but I fear that the ever increasing re-occurrence will take its toll and all of Northwest Missouri will be the loser. The futile attempts to change the regulations and priorities of the Corp of Engineers seems to have left us vulnerable to any unexpected variation in weather patterns, excessive rain or snow. The top priority of flood control has given way to recreation, power generation, water supply and even endangered species. The continued attempts to change this pattern by elected officials at the state and federal level has been uneffective.
I am proud to say, however, that the state of Missouri has been as responsive as possible and according to local government officials in Holt and Atchison counties, the state entities from the Governor down to the Water Patrol, Highway Patrol, SEMA, Red Cross and even the National Guard are doing everything they can to assist.
I recently learned that I will be a part of an Interim Committee on Disaster Recovery that will investigate and assess ways that our state can become even more responsive and I’m sure that we will try to find ways to be more financially supportive as well. We will be providing a report with recommendations to the General Assembly by December 31st.
If you have questions, you may reach me at my Capitol number 573-751-9465, at the local district number, 660-582-4014, by email at mike.thomson@house.mo.gov or by mail at Room 401B State Capitol Building, Jefferson City, MO 65101.

Cut to the Chase: Land Grab Underway

By Blake Hurst

Three professors at Southern Illinois University have started the post flood conversation with a well publicized letter to President Obama. The professors would like the Birds Point Levee breech to remain open, turning some of the most productive farmland in the world into a wetland. Those of us who remember the great flood of 1993 can write the script from here; environmental groups will use Mississippi County’s misfortune to attempt a land grab of massive proportions.

The least they could have done is wait until the water went down, or the proverbial dove arrived with the olive branch. The professors, without bothering to provide any evidence, claim that 200 square miles of fertile farmland would better serve mankind as a swamp, instead of producing food the world so desperately needs. I’m not sure how big the “I Miss Malaria Caucus” is, but it’s imperative we drown this foolish idea in its infancy. The levees must be repaired as soon as it dries enough for dirt to be moved.

The academics rightly point out that post-flood, much of the land will be covered in sand, so the land is now “marginal” farmland. In other words, once the land has been purposefully flooded, we can buy it cheap. I’m reminded of the old story about the young man who murdered his parents, then threw himself on the mercy of the court because he was an orphan. That sort of debater’s trick may lead to tenure, but it is unlikely to impress the farmers who are suffering from the worst flooding in nearly 100 years.

It won’t escape notice that the levee was blown to protect Southern Illinois. The professors are not only deluded, but self serving as well. The lack of concern they show for the families affected by the flood is breathtaking, the arrogance shown by their cavalier disregard for the efforts of generations of farmers is shocking. People are suffering, and the best that the academics can do is to propose a plan that will make the suffering permanent.

The Corps blew the levee because they felt it was necessary to destroy the levee to protect the rest of the Mississippi Delta. It would have been better if some other alternative could have been found, but desperate times can call for desperate measures. Now, the U.S. government has a moral obligation to help those in the path of this man-made flood. The levees must be repaired, the ground must be restored, the roads, bridges, and homes replaced.

Food prices are at record highs, commodity prices are setting new records, and we need the food that can be produced on the land once protected by the Bird’s Point Levee. Crop losses this year, and every year until repairs are made, will be over $100 million. People need the food, Missouri needs the economic activity, and the farmers who have spent generations making the Mississippi Delta bloom like a rose deserve a chance to reclaim their lives.

(Blake Hurst, of Westboro, Mo., is the president of Missouri Farm Bureau, the state’s largest farm organization.)

A Report from Tuscaloosa’s Ground Zero

By Dr. Earl Tilford

The Warrior River borders the University of Alabama campus, separating old Tuscaloosa from up-scale housing developments to the north. Tuscaloosans know a “north of the river” address connotes six-figure incomes. The schools, public and private, are excellent. It’s the country club set. The Warrior River forms a barrier separating Tuscaloosans by class and largely, although not entirely, by race.

The tornado missed the University of Alabama but stampeded through off-campus student housing; old homes converted into apartments or new, multi-story apartment buildings. Students are among the nearly 50 confirmed fatalities and many of the 400 still unaccounted for. The tornado then tore into Alberta City.

Alberta City expanded eastward toward Birmingham. As African-Americans moved in, white residents relocated, many of them north of river. Since moving to Tuscaloosa three years ago, I’ve crossed the Warrior River almost daily, and all but two or three times, I turned right onto the campus of the university or headed west into the old and prosperous downtown.

The tornado devastated Alberta City and took with it the service-industry jobs upon which many of its residents—those who had jobs—depended. Many of the homes in Alberta City were uninsured. Its residents, people with so little, lost what little they had.

North of the river, we lost electrical power for a day or so. When it came back on at 4:00 a.m. on Friday, I saw the scenes of obliteration. On Saturday, I joined a group from a Presbyterian Church in Birmingham who came to Tuscaloosa to cook hamburgers and hot dogs. A few members from First Presbyterian in Tuscaloosa showed up to help. The call had gone out for water, diapers, clothing, shoes, and other necessities.

When I crossed the river, at first everything seemed fine—a few trees here and there uprooted. I turned off the Jack Warner Parkway onto Helen Keller Boulevard and headed for University Boulevard where a left turn would take me into Alberta City. At the roadblock I explained to a police officer that I was joining a group cooking food for victims. He told me to park and walk the rest of the way. I parked and started the mile-long trek into the heart of devastation.

As soon as I turned west, I was in the middle of rubble. I walked by a used car lot with half the vehicles gone. A Mustang was impaled on the shaft of a tree nearby. A Ford Crown Vic was upside down on top of what used to be a pawn shop. I stopped in front of a Cadillac sedan with four flat tires, a missing hood and a tree limb through the driver’s side window. A sticker on the windshield read, “08 Caddy—Like New!”

When I arrived at what’s left of Leland Shopping Center, I walked into a chaos of people frantically setting up cooking stations. Then a parade of SUV’s arrived. Many were Escalades, BMWs, Mercedes Benzes, and Toyota Highlanders, almost always driven by women. These were north of the river housewives who put on makeup and do their hair, don earrings and then walk the dog before heading off to the upscale Publix Supermarket where we folks north of the river shop. I helped unload SUV after SUV filled with bottled water, clothing items, diapers, sanitary wipes, and blankets. One very attractive woman in her early 40s driving a Lincoln Navigator asked, after I helped her empty its contents of bottled water and paper towels, if we needed anything else. I told her we needed flashlights. She asked where they might be found, and I answered that Home Depot just off 15th Street had not been hit and was open. She confessed that she did not know how to get out of Alberta City and over to 15th and asked if I’d ride with her. I agreed. It took us half an hour to navigate the Navigator through the rubble to Home Depot. She purchased $300 worth of flashlights. Then we drove back into obliteration.

Later Saturday afternoon, several young boys milled around the area where Presbyterians cooked food and handed out supplies donated by people, many of them from north of the river. One asked who was doing the cooking. Another said he thought it was a church group. “Oh really! I’ve been thinking about going to church for some time. In fact, I went on Easter. It’s gone. There’s no more church!” The others laughed. I thought, “Son, look around. The Church is here.”

After a stranger gave me a ride back to my car, I drove north, crossed the Warrior River and headed to Publix Supermarket to pick up fresh fruit. There I ran into the soccer mom I had accompanied to Home Depot. I thanked her again for her help. She pointed out that the real challenge lay ahead. In a few days, many of the SUVs will stop coming from north of the river. Help will be arriving from FEMA and from private contractors but there is still so much to do. The soccer mom gets it.

Mission trips from church groups are one answer, but just one.

As Mayor Walt Maddox of Tuscaloosa pointed out, this is going to be a marathon, and we’re still in the first quarter mile of a long race.

Earl Tilford,
Reporting from North of the River
(Tuscaloosa, Alabama)

— Dr. Earl Tilford is a military historian and fellow for the Middle East & terrorism with The Center for Vision & Values at Grove City College. He currently lives in Tuscaloosa, Alabama where he is writing a history of the University of Alabama in the 1960s. A retired Air Force intelligence officer, Dr. Tilford earned his PhD in American and European military history at George Washington University. From 1993 to 2001, he served as Director of Research at the U.S. Army’s Strategic Studies Institute. In 2001, he left Government service for a professorship at Grove City College, where he taught courses in military history, national security, and international and domestic terrorism and counter-terrorism.

Federal Disaster Assistance Available for Missouri Farmers

Following the recent string of devastating natural disasters in Missouri, U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill urges crop and livestock producers to apply for vital federal programs available through the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) designated to help those recover who have been hit by severe flooding or tornados. The FSA administers these programs throughout all affected states in order to help crucial farmland get back to operating condition as soon as possible.

“The recent storms have been devastating to so many farmers who have for so long kept Missouri’s agricultural industry thriving. I hope that these programs will help producers begin the long process of getting back on their feet during this difficult time,” McCaskill said.

Among the key programs available to address impacts from disasters are the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP), the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP), the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP), the Noninsured Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) and the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments (SURE) Program.

For more information on all of these programs, visit the FSA’s website here.

Worth County Eligible for FSA Disaster Loans

Mr. Edward Hamill, State Executive Director, Farm Service Agency, announced effective March 23, 2011 that 86 Missouri counties will have FSA disaster loans available due to severe winter storms and snowstorms which occurred January 31 to February 5 2011. Applications for assistance will be accepted at the county office of the Farm Service Agency at Worth County for physical and production losses caused by this disaster. Applications will be accepted through November 21, 2011.

Loans for physical losses must be used to replace or repair damage to buildings, fences, or to compensate the farmer for losses of basic livestock, stored crops, or supplies on hand, equipment, etc., that was lost due to the disaster. Loans for production losses may also be used to buy seed, feed, fertilizer, and livestock or to make payments on real estate or chattel debts. Generally, loans for production losses cannot be approved until crops have completed their production cycle or have been harvested.

In order to qualify, a farmer must have suffered a 30% loss in production or an actual physical loss that was essential to the successful operation of the farm.

Loans for actual losses are made at an interest rate of 3.75% for emergency loans to those eligible applicants who are unable to obtain the credit needed from another source. All loan programs of the Farm Service Agency are made on a non-discriminatory basis.

Worth County Declared Federal Disaster Area for February Snowstorms

Today, U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill announced that President Barack Obama has approved the majority of Governor Jay Nixon’s request for federal disaster relief following winter storms that hit the state in early February 2011. Earlier this month, McCaskill and Senator Roy Blunt sent a letter of support urging the president to grant Nixon’s request to declare 64 counties in Missouri a federal disaster area. Today the president announced a major disaster declaration for the State of Missouri and released federal funds to help cover emergency work and the repair and replacement of disaster-damaged facilities for 59 counties in Missouri. Additionally, the entire state of Missouri is eligible for hazard mitigation assistance grant funds.

In their letter, the senators stressed that federal assistance is essential to help Missouri communities recover from the severe winter storms. Although Nixon’s entire request was not granted, today’s announcement will mean significant federal help for Missouri communities struggling to recover from the damage caused by the most recent round of winter storms. Specifically, the Governor had requested public assistance (including snow removal) for 62 affected counties, public assistance (not including snow removal) for two counties, and hazard mitigation grant assistance for the entire state.

Counties included in today’s announcement are Adair, Andrew, Audrain, Barton, Bates, Benton, Boone, Caldwell, Callaway, Carroll, Cass, Cedar, Chariton, Clark, Clinton, Cole, Cooper, Dade, Dallas, DeKalb, Grundy, Henry, Hickory, Howard, Johnson, Knox, Laclede, Lafayette, Lewis, Linn, Livingston, Macon, Madison, Maries, Marion, McDonald, Miller, Moniteau, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Newton, Osage, Pettis, Platte, Polk, Pulaski, Putnam, Ralls, Randolph, Ray, St. Clair, Saline, Schuyler, Scotland, Shelby, Sullivan, Vernon and Worth. Nodaway and Gentry counties were not included in the declaration.

Winter power outages can lead to generator concerns

Severe winter weather can bring widespread power outages, which means many Missouri families might be firing up their generators. University of Missouri Extension emergency management specialist Eric Evans urges people to use common sense when using a generator.

Gasoline-powered generators can help restore some power to homes, but if used incorrectly the generators can be deadly. Carbon monoxide (CO) can kill people in minutes. Don't use portable generators in the garage or in areas that are partially enclosed, even if the doors and windows are open, Evans warns.

"That's a very dangerous thing to do,” he said. “So you need to put the generators outside and run your extension cords into the house to run whatever device you're going to be running off that electricity. But it should be outside, away from your house three to five feet so that any of those fumes or gases are not finding their way back into your home.”

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas produced whenever fuel such as gas, oil, kerosene, wood or charcoal is burned. The initial symptoms of CO poisoning are similar to the flu and include dizziness, fatigue, headache, nausea and irregular breathing. Exposure to high levels of carbon monoxide can cause death.

"Anything that gives off gases, like anything that you would light that requires combustion - like a grill or a charcoal grill or a hibachi - a lot of people think that they can warm their house," Evans said. "They're warm temporarily, but then they end up hurting themselves because of the gas coming off of that combustible fuel."

Evans added that most generators are designed to run items like space heaters or appliances that are normally plugged into a wall socket. Small generators will not power an entire house. If a person has a generator, they need to know how to use it properly when the electricity goes out. Have items ready to be plugged into it, such as a space heater, to keep you warm.

A "must have" list includes a supply of canned or other nonperishable food and drinkable water. A good rule of thumb for water is a gallon per day. It is recommended to have enough supplies for three to five days.

"If you decide not to have a plan in place, you're going to totally rely on the government structure around you, and if there isn't a close government structure around you, you're in trouble. So you're basically putting yourself at risk, emotionally and physically, by not being prepared," Evans said.

For more information on how to prepare for the next storm and to do it safely, visit the MU Extension website, www.extension.missouri.edu.

Disaster-readiness resources from MU Extension

Articles/news releases

Being prepared for spring storms is a necessity for Missouri residents: http://extension.missouri.edu/main/spotlight/springstorms.aspx

MU guide helps you build family disaster plan: http://extension.missouri.edu/news/DisplayStory.aspx?N=907

Prepare emergency supplies for spring storm season: http://extension.missouri.edu/news/DisplayStory.aspx?N=710

Batten down the hatches; storm shelters make sense in disaster-prone Missouri: http://extension.missouri.edu/news/DisplayStory.aspx?N=712

Coping with Disaster feature articles: http://missourifamilies.org/features/copingarticles/

Publications and videos

(To access publications, use the links below or go http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/ and search by publication number.)

EMW1001, Statewide Disaster Response/Recovery Contact List

EMW1011, Family Disaster Plan – A template to guide families through the process of developing a comprehensive disaster plan.

EMW1012, Disaster Supplies Kit – A downloadable guide to gathering the supplies your family will need if a disaster strikes.

EMW1015, Sizing and Safety Tips for Standby Power Generators

EMW1016, Generator Safety Concerns Video

EMW1019, Tornado Season: Are You Ready?

EMW1021, Taking Shelter From the Storm: Safe Rooms Video

G1905, Is Your Family Prepared for an Earthquake?

MP904, Resources for Your Flooded Home

Other links

MU Extension Community Emergency Management Program (CEMP): http://extension.missouri.edu/cemp

Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) resources: http://eden.lsu.edu

FSA Disaster Loans for Worth County

Mr. Tim Kelly, State Executive Director, Farm Service Agency, announced effective July 18th, 2008 that 29 counties including Worth, Nodaway, and Gentry Counties will have FSA Disaster Loans available due to severe storms and flooding which occurred from June 1st through July 18th, 2008.
Applications for assistance will be accepted at the county offices of the Farm Service Agency for physical and production losses caused by this disaster. Applications will be accepted through March 18th, 2009.
Loans for physical losses must be used to replace or repair damage to buildings, fences, or to compensate the farmer for losses of basic livestock, stored crops, or supplies on hand, equipment, etc., that was lost due to the disaster. Loans for production losses may also be used to buy feed, seed, fertilizer, livestock, or make payments on real estate or chattel debts. Generally, loans for production losses cannot be approved until crops their production cycle or have been harvested.
In order to qualify, a farmer must have suffered a 30% loss in production or an actual physical loss that was essential to the successful operation of the farm.
Loans for actual losses are made at an interest rate of 3.75% for emergency loans to those eligible applicants who are unable to obtain the actual credit needed from another source. All loan programs of the Farm Service Agency are conducted on a non-discriminatory basis.

Worth County eligible for FSA Disaster Loans

Mr. Tim Kelley, State Executive Director, Farm Service Agency, announced effective July 11th, 2008, 29 counties in Missouri including Worth, Gentry, and Nodaway Counties will have FSA Disaster Loans available due to severe storms and flooding which occurred June 1st, 2008 and continuing.
Applications for assistance will be accepted at the Worth County office of the Farm Service Agency for physical and production losses caused by this disaster. Applications will be accepted through March 11th, 2009.
Loans for physical losses must be used to replace or repair damage to buildings, fences, or to compensate the farmer for losses of basic livestock, stored crops, or supplies on hand, equipment, etc., that was lost due to the disaster. Loans for production losses may also be used to buy seed, fertilizer, livestock, or to make payments on real estate or chattel debts. Generally, loans for production losses cannot be approved until crops have completed their production cycle or have been harvested.
In order to qualify, a farmer must have suffered a 30% loss in production or an actual physical loss that was essential to the successful operation of the farm.
Loans for actual losses are made at an interest rate of 3.75% for emergency loans to those eligible applicants who are unable to obtain the actual credit needed from another source. All loan programs of the Farm Service Agency are conducted on a non-discriminatory basis.

SEMA Announces Disaster Donation System

SEMA today announces Missouri has become the fifth state to use a new donations management system, AidMatrix. AidMatrix is a web based program used to register, track, and link undesignated and unsolicited donated goods and services. This new program was launched with a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
"Anyone wishing to make a donation to the disaster response in Missouri can go to SEMA’s home page at: http://sema.dps.mo.gov and click on the link to Donations for Missouri Flood Response. Citizens or businesses can donate to either the immediate flood response or to long term recovery efforts in Missouri. This software allows Missouri receive donations from all over the country and the world. The donor can track the items and make sure they are delivered to a specific community in a timely manner," Ron M. Reynolds, SEMA Director said.
Reynolds noted that Missouri’s 211 system was able to use AidMatrix to match a donation with community during the recent March/April flooding in Southern Missouri.
"Currently, cash donations are urgently needed for long term recover services for flooding victims," said Dante Gliniecki, SEMA Statewide Volunteer Coordinator.
The AidMatrix Network can manage donated goods, and cash donations. Eventually, it will also help match volunteer capabilities to communities. For example, it will be able to match a transportation company volunteering to transport donated goods to a specific community.
The donor can log onto Missouri’s Donations website to make a donation offer and within minutes their donation offer will be acted upon. These donations may take the form of goods, services and cash. This summer the volunteer component will allow those willing to volunteer their time to also log onto the website to volunteer.
Local governments and volunteer agencies can log onto the system to accept a donation, arrange transportation and have it delivered directly to the location where most needed. Also, the AidMatrix software allows local governments and volunteer agencies to post items needed from the public.