Emergency preparedness is an issue for an increasing number of people and families. No matter the season, take steps in advance, and be ready for storms or other natural disasters. Personal experiences with storms—Tropical Storm Irene (2011), Sandy (2012)—and conditions that produce snow, winds, flooding and storm surge, serve as reminders. Weather events can impair your health and safety, limit access to roads, cause property and tree damage and loss of electricity. At the Universities of Connecticut and Rhode Island, a team of Extension and Sea Grant educators is addressing coastal preparedness through a USDA- NIFA Special Needs grant. UConn Extension has created a preparedness education program to help people, including those with pets and livestock, prepare for storm emergencies. UConn Extension’s EDEN (Extension Disaster Education Network) website contains a compilation of emergency pre- paredness resources designed by experts. The collaborative team includes Mary Ellen Welch, Coastal Resiliency Grant Principal Investigator; Robert Ricard, UConn EDEN team leader; Juliana Barrett, coastal preparedness; Karen Filchak, family and community development; Diane Wright Hirsch, food safety; Joyce Meader, dairy and livestock; Jenifer Nadeau, equine specialist; Faye Griffiths-Smith, family economics and resource management; and Pamela Rubinoff, University of Rhode Island, coastal resilience specialist. Pamela Rubinoff is developing Rapid PACE (rapid Property Assessment of Coastal Exposure), a storm mapping, assessment and planning tool, so municipal officials, coastal communities and residents can assess potential storm hazards. The tool aggregates existing high resolution map data from multiple sources and will generate user friendly reports that summarize the potential impacts of storms upon specific parcels of land in coastal Rhode Island. Connecting with Emergency Preparedness Resources Article by Mary Ellen Welch Contact Mary Ellen Welch, Extension Educator, New London County Extension Center mary.welch@uconn.edu 860-885-2829 Robert M. Ricard, Senior Extension Educator, Hartford County Extension Center robert.ricard@uconn.edu 860-570-9257 eden.uconn.edu 12 2016 HIGHLIGHTS OF EXTENSION