The Effectiveness of Emergency Preparedness Animal Issues Education: Perceived Advantages and Obstacles of Roles Played By Texas AgriLife Extension Service Agents

• Main Author: Maxwell, Ricky G.
• Other Authors: Fraze, Steven
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: 2010
• Subjects: Emergency Preparedness; Animal Issues; Texas AgriLife Extension Service Agents
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2010-05-8174

As Extension begins to develop educational program delivery strategies for Emergency Preparedness and Management education, the major challenge will be to establish a culture among county agriculture and natural resources (ANR) Extension agents to integrate this educational programming into ongoing programming to ensure added value to this innovation and its unit of adoption. The attitudes and perceptions of these ANR agents in overall programming efforts will be extremely important for adoption and further dissemination of Emergency Preparedness and Management education to all clientele; therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine what Extension ANR agents perceived as advantages and obstacles associated with the organization and implementation of Emergency Preparedness and Management education and the necessity for establishing local animal issues committees. The study population was Texas AgriLife Extension Service ANR agents. The agents were from both rural and urban counties, in various stages in their careers and various stages of the organization, facilitation and implementation of Emergency Preparedness and Management education and animal issues committee establishment. An online instrument was developed based on a review of related literature. The instrument had 19 total question sets pertaining to the 4 objectives of the study and included matrix, multiple choice and yes/no questions. Questions to obtain demographic information (gender, age, Extension affiliation, years of employment with Extension, and county size) were also asked. Results indicated ANR agents felt Extension should be involved in the organization, planning and implementation of educational efforts in Emergency Preparedness and Management and also the establishment and maintenance of Animal Issues Committees. ANR agents indicated Extension?s best approach would be to help identify innovators, adopters and the resources needed for Emergency Preparedness and Management and Animal Issues Committees. The success or failure of educational programming for Emergency Management depends on the help or assistance that is provided by the key stakeholders and agencies in counties. From this study, it is apparent local stakeholder and agency involvement has been an advantage and obstacle for Texas AgriLife Extension ANR agents in the state of Texas.