Disaster Response
Extension publications, news articles, and videos are online to provide Mississippians with the information they need to stay safe before, during, and after any disaster.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cleanup & Repairs
- Are dishes, eating utensils, pots, pans, or other food utensils that have come in contact with flood water safe?
- How do I dry the walls of my house after flooding?
- How can I clean my rugs and carpets?
- How do I clean flood-soiled clothing?
- How do I clean my dishes and utensils after they have been flooded?
- My furniture got damp and has white spots and a cloudy film on it.
- My mattress is damp. Can I save it?
- My wood furniture was soaked. Is it ruined?
- Are there tips for cleanup safety?
Coping with Disasters
- Coping with Stress after a Tornado
- Coping with Grief after a Disaster
- Nurturing Resilience and Healing in Children and Teens Affected by a Tornado
- Children Need Help Coping with Disaster
- 988 aims to expand mental health crisis response
Finances
- Coping Financially with Disasters
Crops
Flooding
- Are dishes, eating utensils, pots, pans, or other food utensils that have come in contact with flood water safe?
- Floodwater got into my refrigerator and freezer. Is the food safe?
- How can I clean my rugs and carpets?
- How do I clean flood-soiled clothing?
- How do I clean my dishes and utensils after they have been flooded?
- How do I dry the walls of my house after flooding?
- My furniture got damp and has white spots and a cloudy film on it
- My mattress is damp. Can I save it?
Food and Water
- Floodwater got into my refrigerator and freezer. Is the food safe?
- How can I cook if the power is off?
- How do I purify water?
- How long will food last in the refrigerator after the power has gone off?
- How long will food stay safe in the freezer if the power is off?
- If food has thawed, must I throw it out?
- Is it safe to drink the water?
- Is canned food safe to eat after a flood or storm?
Lawn and Garden
Pets
Power, Generators, Electricity & Appliances
- How can I cook if the power is off?
- Is it safe to turn on electrical appliances in my flood-damaged home?
Timber, Trees and Forestry
- Casualty losses shade trees and landscape elements
- Frequently asked questions about timber casualty losses
- Income tax deduction for timber casualty loss
- Repairing storm-damaged shade ornamental and fruit trees
Wildlife, Pests & Snakes
Audio Files
Flooding
Food & Water
Health & Family Needs
Lawn & Garden
- Hurricane Cleanup Advice - Southern Gardening Radio Show files:
Money & Finances
Power, Generators, Electricity & Appliances
Safety
Timber, Trees and Forestry
Wildlife
- Snakes (MP3 audio file)
More Information
Websites of Relief Agencies and Organizations
- American Red Cross
- DisasterAssistance.gov
- EDEN (Extension Disaster Education Network)
- FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency)
- Mississippi Animal Disaster Relief Fund
- Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA)
- National Hurricane Center at NOA
- Salvation Army National Headquarters
- Small Business Administration Disaster Assistance Program
- USDA Emergency Preparedness and Response
Disaster Handbooks and Guides
- Disaster Response: Planning & Rebuilding Toolkit Version 1.1.
Mississippi State University Extension Service
Publications
News
EGYPT, Miss. -- On hot days, Robert Thompson’s beef cows used to retreat to a cluster of trees in the middle of his pasture for shade.
The 24-head herd will have to cool down elsewhere now as two towering brush and limb piles have replaced the resting area. Clearing a new place for the cows is one of many tasks facing Thompson after an EF-3 tornado chewed through the 18-acre grazing area in Monroe County during a March 25 severe weather outbreak.
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- After natural disasters, food and shelter are prioritized well above mental health, but ignoring emotional distress can lead to serious physical health conditions.
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- A Mississippi State University Extension program coordinator will serve as chair of the Extension Disaster Education Network, EDEN, for a two-year term.
RAYMOND, Miss. -- The rollout of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline offers more hope to individuals dealing with mental-health-related distress. That population includes farmers and farm workers, who are among those most at risk for suicide and mental health distress.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, male agricultural workers have the fourth highest suicide rate among men in all industries.
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- MSU Extension agents will be assessing agricultural damage from early-June flooding until well into July, but preliminary estimates indicate losses could break records.
The 2019 Yazoo Backwater Area flood caused $617 million in crop damage alone. It looks like the more recent flood will exceed those losses.
Heavy rainfall, primarily north of U.S. Highway 82, throughout the second week of June waterlogged crops during critical growth stages. Flooding caused complete or partial losses in many fields.
Success Stories
When Kathryn Reed saw that young people in her community needed more opportunities to participate in activities to help them grow spiritually and personally, she took action.
“We have a lot of activities for adults in our community, but there was nothing for our pre-teens and teenagers,” explains Kathryn. “We are losing them when they get to that age.”
Assessing and Adjusting
In one day, bad weather can change the potential of a farm’s crop. Bad weather for a whole week can kill all the potential.
Extension helps clients with disaster recovery
Hulon McKenzie had various jobs over the years. He worked in the oil field, hauled cattle cross-country, and dispatched for a trucking company. But none of them matched the work he did on his small family farm in the Tilton- Sauls Valley community of Monticello.
Mississippi Small Businesses Receive Extension Support
When federal and state lending programs specifically geared toward small businesses were announced as part of the government’s response to natural disasters and COVID-19, Mississippi State University Extension Service personnel went into action to distribute information to Mississippi Main Street’s businesses, organizations, and farmers markets.
When Calhoun County supervisors helped buy a grain bin rescue tube for their fire departments, they hoped no one would ever have to use it
