Disaster Response
This page is intended as a reference for anyone anticipating flooding from Hurricane Ida or cleaning up from flooding.
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?
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
- What are some FAQ's about timber casualty losses?
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 Handbook - University of Florida IFAS Extension
- Disaster Response: Planning & Rebuilding Toolkit Version 1.1.
Mississippi State University Extension Service - Your Guide to Preparing for Emergencies (32 pages)
North Carolina State University Extension Service
Publications
News
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.
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.
A sharper focus on the economic impact of the lower Delta backwater flood of 2019 helps predict the implications of continued flooding this year.
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- One of Kim Hancock’s routine jobs is assisting 4-H’ers in Jones County with their livestock projects. On Easter Sunday, she was helping some of those same young people and their families sort through the rubble of what was once their homes.
Thirty-two counties in Mississippi reported damage from a tornado outbreak April 12 that resulted in 12 fatalities, many injuries and catastrophic destruction to residential, commercial and agricultural property.
Tornadoes and damaging storms that swept through the state Easter Sunday afternoon and evening, killing 11 Mississippians also caused devastating losses to growers in the poultry industry.
Success Stories
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
