AgriLife Extension responds to Tropical Storm Beryl

Agency’s Disaster Assessment and Recovery unit assets, personnel prepared to enter storm zone

The Texas A&M AgriLi fe Extension Service Disaster Assessment and Recovery, DAR, unit and the agency’s network of agents have 42 employees assigned or activated in response to Tropical Storm Beryl as it moves through the state.

“Our DAR agents are actively working to respond to the needs of Texans as this system moves through Texas,” said Monty Dozier, Ph.D., program director, Bryan-College Station. “We urge Texans to remember safety first and be weather aware, and to be especially mindful of flood waters.”

DAR partners prepared to assess damage, provide assistance

The DAR unit works in partnership with the Texas Division of Emergency Management, part of The Texas A&M University System. DAR is part of The Texas A&M University System’s Keeping Texas Prepared initiative.

DAR agents will be actively engaged in conducting agricultural damage assessments on farms and ranches involving crops, livestock and infrastructure. DAR is also capable of establishing animal supply points as needed to provide shelter and feed assistance, as well as other needs at the county level.

A DAR agent is assigned to the incident support team in College Station, and AgriLife Extension has two liaisons working with personnel at the State Operations Center in Austin 24 hours a day. Those agents are participating in situational awareness and tactics calls and monitoring stakeholder needs.

Six DAR agents, working under the lead of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, are working Disaster District Emergency Operations Centers encompassing District 15 (Hardin, Jefferson, Orange), District 16 (Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Colorado, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, Walker, Waller, Wharton) and District 17 (Calhoun, DeWitt, Goliad, Gonzales, Jackson, Lavaca, Victoria), all of which include counties impacted by the storm.

Statewide presence

With a presence in all 254 Texas counties, AgriLife Extension embeds local disaster response teams built from the communities it serves. This layered, comprehensive AgriLife Extension network positions DAR to offer one of the most unique and effective disaster response infrastructures nationwide.

“DAR is uniquely positioned to provide significant manpower, supplies and assist in distribution of supplies to the hard-hit areas,” Dozier said. “We stand ready to serve Texans in this capacity at all times and are mobilized to respond to areas impacted by Tropical Storm Beryl.”

Reporting damage

The Texas Division of Emergency Management encourages individuals to report losses through the Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool, iSTAT, reporting tool. The tool assists emergenc y management officials in assessing damages through iSTAT Damage Surveys. These help state officials identify resource needs and determine whether Texas qualifies for federal disaster aid.