NFSHW26 More than FEMA: Building True Rural Disaster Resilience

This presentation is designed to shift the focus of agricultural and rural stakeholders from reliance on FEMA toward proactive, community-led disaster preparedness. By debunking the myth that disaster recovery is primarily a federal responsibility, the session introduces the "Chain of Recovery" framework, clarifying the roles of individuals and local and state leadership while demystifying FEMA’s legal constraints. The presentation emphasizes building local resilience through under-utilized resources—such as USDA programs, NGO support, and peer-to-peer networks—to equip attendees with actionable strategies for securing their communities long before a disaster strikes.

Intended Audience: Agricultural health/safety professionals, Extension staff, rural community leaders, and farmers.

Speaker: Ian Costello, MSEM, Keswick Village Community Resilience Coalition, Founder

Continuing Education: The University of Cincinnati, Department of Environmental and Public Health Sciences, Education and Research Center offers 1.0 contact hours for this activity. Upon completing the evaluation, learners will receive a certificate of completion. This course can meet continuing education requirements for a variety of professionals including: BGC criteria for IH/CIH professionals, BCSP criteria for safety professionals, CPH criteria for public health professionals. Please contact your accrediting agency regarding questions about receiving credits for this activity.