Deeply embedded in the fabric of local communities, Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) has both an opportunity and an obligation to serve New York residents when crises arise. Our mission mandates we “put knowledge to work,” which means being a trusted source for up-to-date information on how to prepare for, what to do during, and how to act after disaster situations.
As part of the national land grant network, CCE accesses a wealth of research-backed resources ‑ prepared by university extension systems across the country, including Cornell. Combined with the local clout we’ve garnered by working alongside our neighbors to better the lives of all New Yorkers, CCE is a powerful augmenter for local, county, and state emergency response and recovery.
At CCE, disaster preparedness, response and recovery efforts fall under the All-Hazards Preparedness and Response Education Program (APREP). APREP disaster researchers and educators across Cornell University and CCE develop evidence-based guidance on preparedness, response, and recovery after natural disasters and emergencies, assist with CCE emergency operations, and conduct research which informs future response and recovery efforts.
The New York Extension Disaster Education Network (NY EDEN) is a collaborative educational network based at Cornell University and dedicated to educating New York residents about preventing, preparing for and recovering from emergencies and disasters. Utilizing an aggregated collection of research-based guidelines and best practices aggregated from across the national Extension network, NY EDEN provides communication outreach on these critical and timely subjects through this website (eden.cce.cornell.edu) as well as its Facebook and Twitter social media channels.
NY EDEN is affiliated with the national USDA Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN). EDEN is a national organization of land-grant universities that links Extension educators from across the United States and throughout various disciplines, enabling them to develop and use resources to reduce the impact of disasters.
In a September 2020 revision of the New York State Emergency Support Function Annex, NYS Ag & Markets defines NY EDEN’s role as follows:
“Cornell Cooperative Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN): ESF #11 will coordinate EDEN to directly support the ESF by receiving intelligence from their dedicated agriculture experts located in every NYS county. Should ESF-11 be asked to provide information, ESF-11 would directly benefit from EDEN’s communication network to receive prompt and accurate updates anywhere in NYS. EDEN would be a crucial asset to ESF-11 due to their professional network and other ties with other non-agency members across the state to both receive and deliver information during any disaster.”
The annex, now formally reflecting CCE’s role, is the “playbook” used when the state’s Emergency Operations Center is activated.
For a more in-depth explanation of CCE’s role, CCE Assistant Director, Keith Tidball joined “Extension Out Loud” to discuss CCE’s role in preparing and responding to natural, technical, and man-made hazards. Download a PDF printable version of the 2019 NY EDEN brochure
